Las Vegas, NV vs San Antonio, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Antonio, TX outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $16,943 versus $9,085, a 86% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 82/100 (grade A) against 68/100 (grade B) for San Antonio, TX — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Las Vegas, NV reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while San Antonio, TX carries $2,131 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 San Antonio, TX at $1,045.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Las Vegas, NV at 34% of total revenue, whereas San Antonio, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 17%.
Summary
San Antonio spends 46.4% more per capita than Las Vegas ($7,857/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 | $9 |
| Sales Tax | $386 | $293 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,000 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,137 | $14,312 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $4,025 |
| Other | $2,806 | $3,184 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $945 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $280 | $396 |
| Highways & Roads | $45 | $158 |
| Education | $0 | $23 |
| Public Welfare | $705 | $1,188 |
| Health | $0 | $293 |
| Hospitals | $356 | $993 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,028 | $1,045 |
| Housing | $23 | $3,570 |
| Sewerage | $332 | $100 |
| Utilities | $129 | $3,826 |
| Other | $5,243 | $5,352 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.