Elgin, IL vs Chicago, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Elgin, IL by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $14,229, a 143% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Chicago, IL edges Elgin, IL on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 61/100 (grade C) to 58/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Elgin, IL carries the lighter load at $617 per resident versus $977 for Chicago, IL. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Elgin, IL leads with parks and recreation at $1,641 per resident, while Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Elgin, IL at 43% of total revenue, whereas Chicago, IL relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Chicago spends 58.8% more per capita than Elgin ($20,322/person difference). Chicago, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $26 |
| Sales Tax | $754 | $74 |
| Income Tax | $651 | $229 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,170 | $85,083 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,267 | $2,847 |
| Other | $1,754 | $3,463 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $222 | $10,754 |
| Highways & Roads | $116 | $930 |
| Education | $53 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $718 | $1,858 |
| Health | $0 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,444 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,641 | $122 |
| Housing | $4,472 | $6,520 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $129 |
| Utilities | $2,850 | $2,983 |
| Other | $4,159 | $9,385 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.