Janesville, WI vs Oshkosh, WI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Janesville, WI and Oshkosh, WI spend within 10.2% of each other per resident — $15,888 versus $14,411 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Oshkosh, WI edges Janesville, WI on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 88/100 (grade A) to 87/100 (grade A). 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 Janesville, WI at $685 per resident and in Oshkosh, WI at $1,346.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 17% of total revenue in Janesville, WI and 17% in Oshkosh, WI.
Summary
Janesville spends 10.2% more per capita than Oshkosh ($1,477/person difference). Oshkosh, WI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 88/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1,174 | $1,987 |
| Sales Tax | $330 | $107 |
| Income Tax | $1,322 | $154 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,366 | $14,094 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,055 | $2,241 |
| Other | $2,460 | $3,339 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $5 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $335 | $173 |
| Highways & Roads | $62 | $127 |
| Education | $31 | $56 |
| Public Welfare | $1,687 | $1,718 |
| Health | $669 | $601 |
| Hospitals | $821 | $113 |
| Parks & Recreation | $685 | $1,346 |
| Housing | $2,327 | $2,296 |
| Sewerage | $193 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,499 | $1,997 |
| Interest on Debt | $696 | $1,027 |
| Other | $5,877 | $4,956 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.