Lakewood, CO vs Greeley, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Greeley, CO outspends Lakewood, CO by a wide margin per resident — $17,366 versus $10,295, a 69% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Lakewood, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 42/100 (grade D) for Greeley, CO — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Lakewood, CO carries the lighter load at $1 per resident versus $1,247 for Greeley, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Lakewood, CO at $2,250 per resident and in Greeley, CO at $1,832.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Lakewood, CO at 167% of total revenue, whereas Greeley, CO relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 76%.
Summary
Greeley spends 40.7% more per capita than Lakewood ($7,071/person difference). Lakewood, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $79 |
| Sales Tax | $897 | $982 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,276 | $10,897 |
| Charges & Fees | $82 | $5,308 |
| Other | $2,128 | $2,069 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $205 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $291 |
| Education | $0 | $1 |
| Public Welfare | $1,061 | $712 |
| Hospitals | $70 | $733 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,250 | $1,832 |
| Housing | $3,750 | $3,047 |
| Sewerage | $176 | $97 |
| Utilities | $79 | $4,341 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $893 |
| Other | $2,705 | $5,418 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.