Medford, OR vs Bend, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Medford, OR and Bend, OR spend within 5.4% of each other per resident — $12,307 versus $11,671 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Bend, OR edges Medford, OR on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 72/100 (grade B) to 70/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Bend, OR carries the lighter load at $597 per resident versus $2,887 for Medford, OR. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Medford, OR leads with parks and recreation at $822 per resident, while Bend, OR leads with fire protection at $509.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 16% of total revenue in Medford, OR and 15% in Bend, OR.
Summary
Medford spends 5.4% more per capita than Bend ($635/person difference). Bend, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 72/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $17 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $241 | $96 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,848 | $3,599 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,768 | $2,279 |
| Other | $3,119 | $5,555 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $267 | $509 |
| Highways & Roads | $322 | $315 |
| Education | $0 | $34 |
| Public Welfare | $1,096 | $1,287 |
| Hospitals | $311 | $471 |
| Parks & Recreation | $822 | $0 |
| Housing | $3,358 | $2,520 |
| Sewerage | $232 | $645 |
| Utilities | $1,690 | $1,020 |
| Other | $4,209 | $4,872 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.