Gary, IN vs Fort Wayne, IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Gary, IN outspends Fort Wayne, IN by a wide margin per resident — $21,825 versus $10,590, a 106% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Fort Wayne, IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 71/100 (grade B) for Gary, IN — a 19-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 Gary, IN at $358 per resident and in Fort Wayne, IN at $856.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Gary, IN and 27% in Fort Wayne, IN.
Summary
Gary spends 106.1% more per capita than Fort Wayne ($11,235/person difference). Fort Wayne, IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $28 |
| Sales Tax | $46 | $441 |
| Income Tax | $64 | $584 |
| Intergovernmental | $30,129 | $5,531 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,515 |
| Other | $10,510 | $189 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $231 | $423 |
| Highways & Roads | $210 | $77 |
| Public Welfare | $886 | $1,325 |
| Hospitals | $721 | $944 |
| Parks & Recreation | $358 | $856 |
| Housing | $2,936 | $2,758 |
| Utilities | $113 | $638 |
| Interest on Debt | $846 | $546 |
| Other | $15,525 | $3,025 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.