Hartford, CT vs Danbury, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Hartford, CT outspends Danbury, CT by a wide margin per resident — $76,660 versus $43,358, a 77% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Danbury, CT edges Hartford, CT on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 60/100 (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.
Hartford, CT reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Danbury, CT carries $129 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Hartford, CT at $39,340 per resident and in Danbury, CT at $27,827.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Hartford, CT at 26% of total revenue, whereas Danbury, CT relies most on other revenue at 14%.
Summary
Hartford spends 76.8% more per capita than Danbury ($33,302/person difference). Danbury, CT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 60/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,103 | $442 |
| Income Tax | $9 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $10,322 | $2,313 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,180 |
| Other | $739 | $3,156 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $384 | $357 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $264 |
| Education | $39,340 | $27,827 |
| Public Welfare | $1,535 | $913 |
| Health | $1,038 | $290 |
| Hospitals | $5,508 | $53 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,661 | $751 |
| Housing | $4,670 | $2,419 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $64 |
| Utilities | $298 | $984 |
| Other | $22,228 | $9,436 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.