Independence, MO vs St. Louis, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
St. Louis, MO outspends Independence, MO by a wide margin per resident — $17,927 versus $8,176, a 119% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Independence, MO edges St. Louis, MO on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 80/100 (grade A) to 75/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
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 Independence, MO at $611 per resident and in St. Louis, MO at $1,053.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Independence, MO and 39% in St. Louis, MO.
Summary
St. Louis spends 54.4% more per capita than Independence ($9,751/person difference). Independence, MO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $58 |
| Sales Tax | $480 | $192 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $50 |
| Intergovernmental | $38,346 | $5,609 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,807 | $120 |
| Other | $3,970 | $4,382 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $39 | $677 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $772 |
| Public Welfare | $345 | $1,793 |
| Hospitals | $406 | $445 |
| Parks & Recreation | $611 | $1,053 |
| Housing | $2,769 | $5,667 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $436 |
| Utilities | $1,599 | $2,457 |
| Other | $2,407 | $4,627 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.