Las Vegas, NV vs Albuquerque, NM
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Albuquerque, NM outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $17,237 versus $9,085, a 90% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV edges Albuquerque, NM on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 82/100 (grade A) to 81/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Las Vegas, NV reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Albuquerque, NM carries $613 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Las Vegas, NV at $1,028 per resident and in Albuquerque, NM at $1,990.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Las Vegas, NV at 34% of total revenue, whereas Albuquerque, NM relies most on charges and fees at 11%.
Summary
Albuquerque spends 47.3% more per capita than Las Vegas ($8,152/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 | $50 | $36 |
| Sales Tax | $386 | $355 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,580 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,137 | $1,897 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,633 |
| Other | $2,806 | $2,174 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $945 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $280 | $440 |
| Highways & Roads | $45 | $172 |
| Public Welfare | $705 | $419 |
| Health | $0 | $291 |
| Hospitals | $356 | $328 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,028 | $1,990 |
| Housing | $23 | $4,080 |
| Sewerage | $332 | $0 |
| Utilities | $129 | $5,212 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,096 |
| Other | $5,243 | $3,209 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.