Los Angeles, CA vs Dallas, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Los Angeles, CA outspends Dallas, TX by a wide margin per resident — $85,432 versus $34,849, a 145% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Dallas, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 57/100 (grade C) against 47/100 (grade D) for Los Angeles, CA — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: police leads in Los Angeles, CA at $4,111 per resident and in Dallas, TX at $1,519.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Los Angeles, CA at 51% of total revenue, whereas Dallas, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 22%.
Summary
Los Angeles spends 145.1% more per capita than Dallas ($50,583/person difference). Dallas, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 57/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $64 | $9 |
| Sales Tax | $77 | $25 |
| Income Tax | $307 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $134 | $1,223 |
| Charges & Fees | $459 | $0 |
| Other | $9,048 | $584 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,111 | $1,519 |
| Fire Protection | $1,057 | $305 |
| Highways & Roads | $503 | $201 |
| Education | $829 | $62 |
| Public Welfare | $1,286 | $215 |
| Health | $409 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $2,135 | $385 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,347 | $0 |
| Housing | $6,325 | $444 |
| Sewerage | $34 | $0 |
| Utilities | $21,992 | $833 |
| Interest on Debt | $630 | $0 |
| General Admin | $11,586 | $25,827 |
| Other | $33,189 | $5,059 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.