Chicago, IL vs Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $20,200, a 71% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Chicago, IL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 35/100 (grade D) for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY — a 26-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Chicago, IL carries the lighter load at $977 per resident versus $3,553 for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Chicago, IL at $10,754 per resident and in Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY at $1,132.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Chicago, IL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY relies most on other revenue at 103%.
Summary
Chicago spends 71.0% more per capita than Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) ($14,351/person difference). Chicago, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $26 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $74 | $1,138 |
| Income Tax | $229 | $24 |
| Intergovernmental | $85,083 | $412 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,847 | $3,823 |
| Other | $3,463 | $8,878 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $701 |
| Fire Protection | $10,754 | $1,132 |
| Highways & Roads | $930 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $956 |
| Public Welfare | $1,858 | $1,849 |
| Health | $426 | $379 |
| Hospitals | $1,444 | $779 |
| Parks & Recreation | $122 | $1,070 |
| Housing | $6,520 | $2,382 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $249 |
| Utilities | $2,983 | $3,844 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,517 |
| Other | $9,385 | $5,344 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.