Kenosha, WI vs Waukesha, WI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waukesha, WI outspends Kenosha, WI by a wide margin per resident — $38,315 versus $19,120, a 100% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Kenosha, WI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 72/100 (grade B) against 53/100 (grade C) for Waukesha, WI — a 19-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: police leads in Kenosha, WI at $2,544 per resident and in Waukesha, WI at $2,927.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 27% of total revenue in Kenosha, WI and 27% in Waukesha, WI.
Summary
Waukesha spends 50.1% more per capita than Kenosha ($19,195/person difference). Kenosha, WI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 72/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $477 | $891 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,020 | $3,249 |
| Other | $1,853 | $2,389 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,544 | $2,927 |
| Fire Protection | $374 | $856 |
| Highways & Roads | $330 | $1,204 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $1,186 |
| Health | $259 | $523 |
| Parks & Recreation | $663 | $1,677 |
| Housing | $2,466 | $4,755 |
| Utilities | $4,909 | $6,106 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $88 |
| Other | $7,574 | $18,994 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.