Medford, OR vs Gresham, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Medford, OR and Gresham, OR spend within 13.5% of each other per resident — $12,307 versus $10,840 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Medford, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 70/100 (grade B) against 46/100 (grade D) for Gresham, OR — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Gresham, OR carries the lighter load at $978 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 Gresham, OR leads with fire protection at $459.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Medford, OR at 16% of total revenue, whereas Gresham, OR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Medford spends 13.5% more per capita than Gresham ($1,467/person difference). Medford, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 70/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $17 | $28 |
| Sales Tax | $241 | $5 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $69 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,848 | $4,893 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,768 | $1,652 |
| Other | $3,119 | $3,781 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $267 | $459 |
| Highways & Roads | $322 | $184 |
| Public Welfare | $1,096 | $944 |
| Hospitals | $311 | $662 |
| Parks & Recreation | $822 | $285 |
| Housing | $3,358 | $2,587 |
| Sewerage | $232 | $57 |
| Utilities | $1,690 | $1,126 |
| Other | $4,209 | $4,537 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.