Dothan, AL vs Montgomery, AL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dothan, AL outspends Montgomery, AL by a wide margin per resident — $17,116 versus $4,738, a 261% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Dothan, AL edges Montgomery, AL on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 68/100 (grade B) to 64/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Dothan, AL leads with parks and recreation at $4,666 per resident, while Montgomery, AL leads with fire protection at $555.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Dothan, AL at 26% of total revenue, whereas Montgomery, AL relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Dothan spends 261.3% more per capita than Montgomery ($12,379/person difference). Dothan, AL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $3 |
| Sales Tax | $671 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $756 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $919 | $2,517 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,664 | $0 |
| Other | $3,341 | $442 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $290 | $458 |
| Fire Protection | $632 | $555 |
| Highways & Roads | $290 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,177 | $615 |
| Hospitals | $126 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $4,666 | $127 |
| Housing | $3,247 | $1,155 |
| Sewerage | $309 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,759 | $28 |
| Other | $3,622 | $1,799 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.