Denver, CO vs Long Beach, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Long Beach, CA and Denver, CO spend within 2.0% of each other per resident — $34,250 versus $33,582 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Long Beach, CA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 51/100 (grade C) for Denver, CO — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Long Beach, CA 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 Denver, CO at $3,319 per resident and in Long Beach, CA at $698.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Denver, CO at 37% of total revenue, whereas Long Beach, CA relies most on other revenue at 12%.
Summary
Long Beach spends 2.0% more per capita than Denver ($668/person difference). Long Beach, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $2,070 | $36 |
| Income Tax | $236 | $1,760 |
| Intergovernmental | $44,661 | $1,688 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,207 | $2,424 |
| Other | $10,100 | $8,836 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,455 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $1,668 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $475 | $0 |
| Education | $821 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $764 | $1,317 |
| Health | $693 | $477 |
| Hospitals | $2,855 | $2,751 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,319 | $698 |
| Housing | $3,565 | $5,782 |
| Sewerage | $293 | $86 |
| Utilities | $4,292 | $3,889 |
| Interest on Debt | $7 | $2,718 |
| General Admin | $364 | $0 |
| Other | $12,011 | $16,533 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.