Caldwell, ID vs Idaho Falls, ID
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Idaho Falls, ID spends 41% more per resident than Caldwell, ID: $14,232 against $10,082. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Caldwell, ID holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 55/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Idaho Falls, ID — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Caldwell, ID carries the lighter load at $116 per resident versus $641 for Idaho Falls, ID. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Caldwell, ID at $590 per resident and in Idaho Falls, ID at $2,249.
Summary
Idaho Falls spends 29.2% more per capita than Caldwell ($4,150/person difference). Caldwell, ID has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $390 | $77 |
| Sales Tax | $291 | $990 |
| Income Tax | $965 | $897 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $10,285 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,467 | $2,201 |
| Other | $2,417 | $3,106 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $68 | $281 |
| Highways & Roads | $62 | $226 |
| Education | $43 | $232 |
| Public Welfare | $1,569 | $1,182 |
| Health | $206 | $468 |
| Hospitals | $351 | $874 |
| Parks & Recreation | $590 | $2,249 |
| Housing | $1,866 | $2,890 |
| Sewerage | $213 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,255 | $1,518 |
| Other | $2,860 | $4,312 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.