Los Angeles, CA vs Milwaukee, WI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Los Angeles, CA outspends Milwaukee, WI by a wide margin per resident — $85,432 versus $19,417, a 340% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Milwaukee, WI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 62/100 (grade C) against 47/100 (grade D) for Los Angeles, CA — a 15-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 Milwaukee, WI at $3,642.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Los Angeles, CA at 51% of total revenue, whereas Milwaukee, WI relies most on sales tax at 59%.
Summary
Los Angeles spends 340.0% more per capita than Milwaukee ($66,015/person difference). Milwaukee, WI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 62/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $64 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $77 | $6,548 |
| Income Tax | $307 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $134 | $1,231 |
| Charges & Fees | $459 | $0 |
| Other | $9,048 | $3,984 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,111 | $3,642 |
| Fire Protection | $1,057 | $802 |
| Highways & Roads | $503 | $23 |
| Education | $829 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,286 | $180 |
| Health | $409 | $1 |
| Hospitals | $2,135 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,347 | $2,206 |
| Housing | $6,325 | $1,071 |
| Sewerage | $34 | $0 |
| Utilities | $21,992 | $1,866 |
| Interest on Debt | $630 | $1,608 |
| General Admin | $11,586 | $0 |
| Other | $33,189 | $8,018 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.