Kansas City, MO vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA and Kansas City, MO spend within 11.6% of each other per resident — $25,457 versus $22,820 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 33-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
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 Kansas City, MO at $1,309 per resident and in Atlanta, GA at $1,274.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Kansas City, MO at 835% of total revenue, whereas Atlanta, GA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 6%.
Summary
Atlanta spends 10.4% more per capita than Kansas City ($2,637/person difference). Atlanta, GA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $623 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,794 | $5,645 |
| Other | $11,150 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $119 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $513 |
| Education | $0 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $3,018 | $1,587 |
| Hospitals | $1,849 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,309 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $4,681 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $343 |
| Utilities | $3,123 | $8,026 |
| Other | $8,721 | $8,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.