Milwaukee, WI vs Kenosha, WI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Milwaukee, WI and Kenosha, WI spend within 1.6% of each other per resident — $19,417 versus $19,120 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Kenosha, WI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 72/100 (grade B) against 62/100 (grade C) for Milwaukee, WI — 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 Milwaukee, WI at $3,642 per resident and in Kenosha, WI at $2,544.
They also fund themselves differently: sales tax is the largest single revenue source in Milwaukee, WI at 59% of total revenue, whereas Kenosha, WI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 27%.
Summary
Milwaukee spends 1.6% more per capita than Kenosha ($297/person difference). Kenosha, WI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 72/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $6,548 | $477 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $19 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,231 | $4,020 |
| Other | $3,984 | $1,853 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,642 | $2,544 |
| Fire Protection | $802 | $374 |
| Highways & Roads | $23 | $330 |
| Public Welfare | $180 | $0 |
| Health | $1 | $259 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,206 | $663 |
| Housing | $1,071 | $2,466 |
| Utilities | $1,866 | $4,909 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,608 | $0 |
| Other | $8,018 | $7,574 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.