El Paso, TX vs Indianapolis city (balance), IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Indianapolis city (balance), IN outspends El Paso, TX by a wide margin per resident — $46,045 versus $24,259, a 90% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Indianapolis city (balance), IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 74/100 (grade B) against 61/100 (grade C) for El Paso, TX — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX at $1,159 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 El Paso, TX at 10% of total revenue, whereas Indianapolis city (balance), IN relies most on other revenue at 6%.
Summary
Indianapolis city (balance) spends 47.3% more per capita than El Paso ($21,786/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 | $0 | $20 |
| Sales Tax | $65 | $178 |
| Income Tax | $12 | $136 |
| Intergovernmental | $690 | $1,312 |
| Charges & Fees | $31 | $2,813 |
| Other | $550 | $4,675 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,159 | $2,032 |
| Fire Protection | $233 | $397 |
| Highways & Roads | $83 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $299 | $1,469 |
| Hospitals | $11 | $2,453 |
| Parks & Recreation | $151 | $798 |
| Housing | $958 | $2,664 |
| Sewerage | $6 | $248 |
| Utilities | $224 | $2,227 |
| Interest on Debt | $40 | $1,381 |
| General Admin | $17,951 | $23,227 |
| Other | $3,145 | $9,149 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.