New Haven, CT vs Waterbury, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New Haven, CT spends 20% more per resident than Waterbury, CT: $66,510 against $55,426. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
New Haven, CT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 54/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Waterbury, CT — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
New Haven, CT reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Waterbury, CT carries $108 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in New Haven, CT at $33,075 per resident and in Waterbury, CT at $33,920.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in New Haven, CT and 100% in Waterbury, CT.
Summary
New Haven spends 20.0% more per capita than Waterbury ($11,084/person difference). New Haven, CT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 54/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,927 | $251 |
| Income Tax | $999 | $3 |
| Intergovernmental | $53,739 | $42,242 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,249 |
| Other | $431 | $2,485 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,676 | $2,439 |
| Education | $33,075 | $33,920 |
| Public Welfare | $2,189 | $1,768 |
| Health | $286 | $173 |
| Hospitals | $1,047 | $313 |
| Parks & Recreation | $98 | $161 |
| Housing | $3,394 | $3,627 |
| Sewerage | $71 | $74 |
| Utilities | $967 | $869 |
| Other | $22,708 | $12,083 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.