Council Bluffs, IA vs Ankeny, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Council Bluffs, IA outspends Ankeny, IA by a wide margin per resident — $17,662 versus $9,971, a 77% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Ankeny, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 43/100 (grade D) for Council Bluffs, IA — a 18-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Council Bluffs, IA carries the lighter load at $994 per resident versus $1,314 for Ankeny, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Council Bluffs, IA at $1,587 per resident and in Ankeny, IA at $1,069.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 24% of total revenue in Council Bluffs, IA and 18% in Ankeny, IA.
Summary
Council Bluffs spends 77.1% more per capita than Ankeny ($7,691/person difference). Ankeny, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $234 | $527 |
| Income Tax | $1,036 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $383 | $3,337 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,374 | $2,633 |
| Other | $3,427 | $3,353 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $850 | $146 |
| Highways & Roads | $373 | $10 |
| Public Welfare | $1,494 | $957 |
| Health | $562 | $379 |
| Hospitals | $138 | $4 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,587 | $1,069 |
| Housing | $3,385 | $2,088 |
| Sewerage | $181 | $313 |
| Utilities | $3,119 | $1,853 |
| Interest on Debt | $278 | $0 |
| Other | $5,695 | $3,151 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.