Iowa City, IA vs Waterloo, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterloo, IA and Iowa City, IA spend within 8.2% of each other per resident — $17,802 versus $16,449 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Waterloo, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 71/100 (grade B) against 62/100 (grade C) for Iowa City, IA — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Iowa City, IA carries the lighter load at $183 per resident versus $605 for Waterloo, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Iowa City, IA at $1,165 per resident and in Waterloo, IA at $1,325.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 22% of total revenue in Iowa City, IA and 17% in Waterloo, IA.
Summary
Waterloo spends 7.6% more per capita than Iowa City ($1,353/person difference). Waterloo, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 71/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $14 | $59 |
| Sales Tax | $833 | $677 |
| Income Tax | $1,549 | $920 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,216 | $2,021 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,499 | $1,614 |
| Other | $2,188 | $3,969 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $461 | $223 |
| Highways & Roads | $112 | $108 |
| Education | $57 | $10 |
| Public Welfare | $1,285 | $2,637 |
| Health | $965 | $431 |
| Hospitals | $2,408 | $1,864 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,165 | $1,325 |
| Housing | $1,963 | $3,169 |
| Sewerage | $270 | $205 |
| Utilities | $2,351 | $1,874 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,144 | $0 |
| Other | $4,268 | $5,957 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.