Dallas, TX vs Indianapolis city (balance), IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Indianapolis city (balance), IN spends 32% more per resident than Dallas, TX: $46,045 against $34,849. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Indianapolis city (balance), IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 74/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Dallas, TX — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Dallas, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Indianapolis city (balance), IN carries $577 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: police leads in Dallas, TX at $1,519 per resident and in Indianapolis city (balance), IN at $2,032.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Dallas, TX at 22% of total revenue, whereas Indianapolis city (balance), IN relies most on other revenue at 6%.
Summary
Indianapolis city (balance) spends 24.3% more per capita than Dallas ($11,196/person difference). Indianapolis city (balance), IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 74/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $9 | $20 |
| Sales Tax | $25 | $178 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $136 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,223 | $1,312 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,813 |
| Other | $584 | $4,675 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $2,032 |
| Fire Protection | $305 | $397 |
| Highways & Roads | $201 | $0 |
| Education | $62 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $215 | $1,469 |
| Hospitals | $385 | $2,453 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $798 |
| Housing | $444 | $2,664 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $248 |
| Utilities | $833 | $2,227 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,381 |
| General Admin | $25,827 | $23,227 |
| Other | $5,059 | $9,149 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.