El Paso, TX vs Wichita, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
El Paso, TX outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $24,259 versus $7,986, a 204% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 61/100 (grade C) for El Paso, TX — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
El Paso, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Wichita, KS carries $132 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: El Paso, TX leads with police at $1,159 per resident, while Wichita, KS leads with parks and recreation at $874.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 10% of total revenue in El Paso, TX and 14% in Wichita, KS.
Summary
El Paso spends 203.8% more per capita than Wichita ($16,273/person difference). Wichita, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $65 | $246 |
| Income Tax | $12 | $57 |
| Intergovernmental | $690 | $3,895 |
| Charges & Fees | $31 | $3,193 |
| Other | $550 | $2,783 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,159 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $233 | $152 |
| Highways & Roads | $83 | $126 |
| Education | $0 | $2 |
| Public Welfare | $299 | $441 |
| Health | $0 | $254 |
| Hospitals | $11 | $113 |
| Parks & Recreation | $151 | $874 |
| Housing | $958 | $2,618 |
| Sewerage | $6 | $0 |
| Utilities | $224 | $1,225 |
| Interest on Debt | $40 | $70 |
| General Admin | $17,951 | $0 |
| Other | $3,145 | $2,111 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.