Elgin, IL vs Aurora, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Aurora, IL and Elgin, IL spend within 7.5% of each other per resident — $15,301 versus $14,229 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Aurora, IL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 87/100 (grade A) against 58/100 (grade C) for Elgin, IL — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Aurora, IL carries the lighter load at $489 per resident versus $617 for Elgin, IL. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Elgin, IL at $1,641 per resident and in Aurora, IL at $494.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Elgin, IL at 43% of total revenue, whereas Aurora, IL relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 5%.
Summary
Aurora spends 7.0% more per capita than Elgin ($1,072/person difference). Aurora, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 87/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $754 | $114 |
| Income Tax | $651 | $144 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,170 | $2,481 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,267 | $2,224 |
| Other | $1,754 | $1,114 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $222 | $216 |
| Highways & Roads | $116 | $0 |
| Education | $53 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $718 | $922 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $257 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,641 | $494 |
| Housing | $4,472 | $4,836 |
| Utilities | $2,850 | $2,366 |
| Other | $4,159 | $6,210 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.