Boise City, ID vs Pocatello, ID
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boise City, ID and Pocatello, ID spend within 10.9% of each other per resident — $14,689 versus $13,241 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Boise City, ID edges Pocatello, ID on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 59/100 (grade C) to 54/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Boise City, ID at $1,842 per resident and in Pocatello, ID at $963.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 84% of total revenue in Boise City, ID and 308942% in Pocatello, ID.
Summary
Boise City spends 10.9% more per capita than Pocatello ($1,448/person difference). Boise City, ID has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1,118 |
| Sales Tax | $600 | $279 |
| Income Tax | $1,689 | $1,817 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,281 | $4 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,593 |
| Other | $4,259 | $3,385 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,036 | $212 |
| Highways & Roads | $154 | $291 |
| Education | $28 | $43 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $961 |
| Health | $610 | $342 |
| Hospitals | $1,231 | $138 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,842 | $963 |
| Housing | $2,997 | $2,832 |
| Sewerage | $137 | $123 |
| Utilities | $1,636 | $3,313 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $495 |
| Other | $5,019 | $3,527 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.