Minneapolis, MN vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Minneapolis, MN outspends Arlington, TX by a wide margin per resident — $21,910 versus $11,769, a 86% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 65/100 (grade B) for Minneapolis, MN — a 18-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, TX carries the lighter load at $594 per resident versus $644 for Minneapolis, MN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Minneapolis, MN at $3,486 per resident and in Arlington, TX at $1,352.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Minneapolis, MN at 17% of total revenue, whereas Arlington, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 41%.
Summary
Minneapolis spends 86.2% more per capita than Arlington ($10,141/person difference). Arlington, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,989 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $994 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,929 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,040 | $2,949 |
| Other | $3,254 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $683 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $149 |
| Public Welfare | $1,500 | $826 |
| Health | $0 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,486 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $4,133 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $570 | $141 |
| Utilities | $2,398 | $1,385 |
| Other | $8,919 | $4,404 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.