Gaithersburg, MD vs Bowie, MD
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bowie, MD and Gaithersburg, MD spend within 11.4% of each other per resident — $10,561 versus $9,479 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Bowie, MD holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 55/100 (grade C) for Gaithersburg, MD — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Gaithersburg, MD at $1,507 per resident and in Bowie, MD at $1,793.
Summary
Bowie spends 10.2% more per capita than Gaithersburg ($1,082/person difference). Bowie, MD has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $530 | $239 |
| Income Tax | $266 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $5,294 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $702 |
| Other | $864 | $729 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $647 | $780 |
| Highways & Roads | $280 | $232 |
| Public Welfare | $932 | $1,218 |
| Hospitals | $452 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,507 | $1,793 |
| Housing | $1,611 | $2,412 |
| Sewerage | $254 | $199 |
| Utilities | $541 | $1,773 |
| Interest on Debt | $263 | $0 |
| Other | $2,991 | $2,154 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.