Las Vegas, NV vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $21,772 versus $9,085, a 140% 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 Austin, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 82/100 (grade A) to 75/100 (grade B). 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 Austin, TX carries $1,229 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 Austin, TX at $1,801.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Las Vegas, NV at 34% of total revenue, whereas Austin, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 18%.
Summary
Austin spends 58.3% more per capita than Las Vegas ($12,687/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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $386 | $526 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,465 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,137 | $14,031 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,247 |
| Other | $2,806 | $5,645 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $945 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $280 | $634 |
| Highways & Roads | $45 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $51 |
| Public Welfare | $705 | $1,837 |
| Health | $0 | $517 |
| Hospitals | $356 | $664 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,028 | $1,801 |
| Housing | $23 | $3,741 |
| Sewerage | $332 | $865 |
| Utilities | $129 | $3,264 |
| Other | $5,243 | $8,399 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.