Kansas City, MO vs El Paso, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
El Paso, TX and Kansas City, MO spend within 6.3% of each other per resident — $24,259 versus $22,820 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
El Paso, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 9-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. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Kansas City, MO leads with parks and recreation at $1,309 per resident, while El Paso, TX leads with police at $1,159.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Kansas City, MO at 835% of total revenue, whereas El Paso, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 10%.
Summary
El Paso spends 5.9% more per capita than Kansas City ($1,439/person difference). El Paso, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $623 | $65 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $12 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $690 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,794 | $31 |
| Other | $11,150 | $550 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,159 |
| Fire Protection | $119 | $233 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $83 |
| Public Welfare | $3,018 | $299 |
| Hospitals | $1,849 | $11 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,309 | $151 |
| Housing | $4,681 | $958 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $6 |
| Utilities | $3,123 | $224 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $40 |
| General Admin | $0 | $17,951 |
| Other | $8,721 | $3,145 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.