Centennial, CO vs Denver, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO outspends Centennial, CO by a wide margin per resident — $33,582 versus $54, a 62238% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Centennial, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for Denver, CO — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Centennial, CO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Denver, CO carries $5,126 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Centennial, CO at $54 per resident and in Denver, CO at $3,319.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Centennial, CO and 37% in Denver, CO.
Summary
Denver spends 99.8% more per capita than Centennial ($33,528/person difference). Centennial, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $0 | $2,070 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $236 |
| Intergovernmental | $243 | $44,661 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $5,207 |
| Other | $0 | $10,100 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $2,455 |
| Fire Protection | $0 | $1,668 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $475 |
| Education | $0 | $821 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $764 |
| Health | $0 | $693 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $2,855 |
| Parks & Recreation | $54 | $3,319 |
| Housing | $0 | $3,565 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $293 |
| Utilities | $0 | $4,292 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $7 |
| General Admin | $0 | $364 |
| Other | $0 | $12,011 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.