Miami, FL vs Bakersfield, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Miami, FL outspends Bakersfield, CA by a wide margin per resident — $28,195 versus $11,576, a 144% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Bakersfield, CA edges Miami, FL on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 56/100 (grade C) to 53/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Miami, FL leads with fire protection at $7,399 per resident, while Bakersfield, CA leads with parks and recreation at $741.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Miami, FL and 100% in Bakersfield, CA.
Summary
Miami spends 143.6% more per capita than Bakersfield ($16,619/person difference). Bakersfield, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $1,647 | $20 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,909 |
| Intergovernmental | $15,037 | $3,862 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,024 |
| Other | $1,399 | $1,915 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $7,399 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $109 | $840 |
| Hospitals | $1,499 | $425 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,783 | $741 |
| Housing | $6,840 | $3,391 |
| Sewerage | $699 | $265 |
| Utilities | $1,295 | $2,679 |
| Other | $8,572 | $3,234 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.