Kansas City, MO vs Las Vegas, NV
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Kansas City, MO outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $22,820 versus $9,085, a 151% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 82/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 30-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 Las Vegas, NV at $1,028.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 835% of total revenue in Kansas City, MO and 34% in Las Vegas, NV.
Summary
Kansas City spends 151.2% more per capita than Las Vegas ($13,734/person difference). Las Vegas, NV has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 82/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $50 |
| Sales Tax | $623 | $386 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $1,137 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,794 | $0 |
| Other | $11,150 | $2,806 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $945 |
| Fire Protection | $119 | $280 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $45 |
| Public Welfare | $3,018 | $705 |
| Hospitals | $1,849 | $356 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,309 | $1,028 |
| Housing | $4,681 | $23 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $332 |
| Utilities | $3,123 | $129 |
| Other | $8,721 | $5,243 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.