Houston, TX vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Seattle, WA outspends Houston, TX by a wide margin per resident — $34,463 versus $14,400, a 139% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Houston, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 61/100 (grade C) for Seattle, WA — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Houston, TX carries the lighter load at $863 per resident versus $1,100 for Seattle, WA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Houston, TX at $361 per resident and in Seattle, WA at $3,923.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Houston, TX at 7% of total revenue, whereas Seattle, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 13%.
Summary
Seattle spends 58.2% more per capita than Houston ($20,063/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1,831 |
| Sales Tax | $181 | $1,094 |
| Income Tax | $39 | $3,496 |
| Intergovernmental | $33 | $9,846 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,475 | $3,960 |
| Other | $3,960 | $8,544 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $295 | $210 |
| Highways & Roads | $175 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $1,461 |
| Public Welfare | $533 | $3,439 |
| Health | $210 | $1,131 |
| Hospitals | $511 | $1,871 |
| Parks & Recreation | $361 | $3,923 |
| Housing | $4,288 | $3,727 |
| Sewerage | $386 | $952 |
| Utilities | $1,339 | $6,489 |
| Other | $6,301 | $11,260 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.