Des Moines, IA vs Cedar Rapids, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cedar Rapids, IA outspends Des Moines, IA by a wide margin per resident — $23,973 versus $1,302, a 1742% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Des Moines, IA edges Cedar Rapids, IA on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 55/100 (grade C) to 53/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Des Moines, IA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Cedar Rapids, IA carries $1,391 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Des Moines, IA leads with police at $134 per resident, while Cedar Rapids, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,165.
Summary
Cedar Rapids spends 94.6% more per capita than Des Moines ($22,672/person difference). Des Moines, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $8 |
| Sales Tax | $8 | $2,450 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,513 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $5,898 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,261 |
| Other | $38 | $4,807 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $134 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $55 | $466 |
| Highways & Roads | $3 | $102 |
| Education | $1 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $388 | $1,987 |
| Health | $8 | $567 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $612 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,165 |
| Housing | $164 | $4,126 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $314 |
| Utilities | $0 | $4,004 |
| Interest on Debt | $1 | $737 |
| Other | $547 | $9,894 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.