Greeley, CO vs Lakewood, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Greeley, CO outspends Lakewood, CO by a wide margin per resident — $17,366 versus $10,295, a 69% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Lakewood, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 42/100 (grade D) for Greeley, CO — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Lakewood, CO carries the lighter load at $1 per resident versus $1,247 for Greeley, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Greeley, CO at $1,832 per resident and in Lakewood, CO at $2,250.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Greeley, CO at 76% of total revenue, whereas Lakewood, CO relies most on other revenue at 167%.
Summary
Greeley spends 68.7% more per capita than Lakewood ($7,071/person difference). Lakewood, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $79 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $982 | $897 |
| Intergovernmental | $10,897 | $1,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,308 | $82 |
| Other | $2,069 | $2,128 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $205 |
| Highways & Roads | $291 | $0 |
| Education | $1 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $712 | $1,061 |
| Hospitals | $733 | $70 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,832 | $2,250 |
| Housing | $3,047 | $3,750 |
| Sewerage | $97 | $176 |
| Utilities | $4,341 | $79 |
| Interest on Debt | $893 | $0 |
| Other | $5,418 | $2,705 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.