Independence, MO vs St. Peters, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
St. Peters, MO spends 40% more per resident than Independence, MO: $11,485 against $8,176. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Independence, MO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 59/100 (grade C) for St. Peters, MO — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Independence, MO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while St. Peters, MO carries $71 per resident. 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. Peters, MO at $2,314.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Independence, MO and 100% in St. Peters, MO.
Summary
St. Peters spends 28.8% more per capita than Independence ($3,309/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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $480 | $1,412 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $2,724 |
| Intergovernmental | $38,346 | $9,257 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,807 | $1,242 |
| Other | $3,970 | $1,181 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $39 | $783 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $167 |
| Public Welfare | $345 | $2,051 |
| Hospitals | $406 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $611 | $2,314 |
| Housing | $2,769 | $2,637 |
| Utilities | $1,599 | $2,793 |
| Other | $2,407 | $739 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.