Kent, WA vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Seattle, WA outspends Kent, WA by a wide margin per resident — $34,463 versus $10,491, a 228% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Seattle, WA edges Kent, WA on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 61/100 (grade C) to 57/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Kent, WA carries the lighter load at $905 per resident versus $1,100 for Seattle, WA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Kent, WA at $1,448 per resident and in Seattle, WA at $3,923.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Kent, WA at 49% of total revenue, whereas Seattle, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 13%.
Summary
Seattle spends 69.6% more per capita than Kent ($23,971/person difference). Seattle, WA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1,831 |
| Sales Tax | $272 | $1,094 |
| Income Tax | $89 | $3,496 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,884 | $9,846 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,797 | $3,960 |
| Other | $4,935 | $8,544 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $413 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $292 | $210 |
| Highways & Roads | -$10 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $1,461 |
| Public Welfare | $850 | $3,439 |
| Health | $0 | $1,131 |
| Hospitals | $207 | $1,871 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,448 | $3,923 |
| Housing | $3,476 | $3,727 |
| Sewerage | $36 | $952 |
| Utilities | $1,474 | $6,489 |
| Interest on Debt | $1 | $0 |
| Other | $2,306 | $11,260 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.