Houston, TX vs Colorado Springs, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Houston, TX and Colorado Springs, CO spend within 8.9% of each other per resident — $14,400 versus $13,222 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Houston, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 59/100 (grade C) for Colorado Springs, CO — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Houston, TX carries the lighter load at $863 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Houston, TX leads with parks and recreation at $361 per resident, while Colorado Springs, CO leads with fire protection at $1,266.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Houston, TX at 7% of total revenue, whereas Colorado Springs, CO relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 13%.
Summary
Houston spends 8.9% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($1,177/person difference). Houston, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $181 | $257 |
| Income Tax | $39 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $33 | $6,902 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,475 | $5,676 |
| Other | $3,960 | $2,678 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $295 | $1,266 |
| Highways & Roads | $175 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $533 | $575 |
| Health | $210 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $511 | $416 |
| Parks & Recreation | $361 | $376 |
| Housing | $4,288 | $2,713 |
| Sewerage | $386 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,339 | $2,566 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $190 |
| Other | $6,301 | $5,120 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.