Philadelphia, PA vs Colorado Springs, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Philadelphia, PA outspends Colorado Springs, CO by a wide margin per resident — $56,272 versus $13,222, a 326% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Colorado Springs, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 59/100 (grade C) against 45/100 (grade D) for Philadelphia, PA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Philadelphia, PA carries the lighter load at $1,069 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Philadelphia, PA at $7,082 per resident and in Colorado Springs, CO at $1,266.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 16% of total revenue in Philadelphia, PA and 13% in Colorado Springs, CO.
Summary
Philadelphia spends 325.6% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($43,050/person difference). Colorado Springs, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $107 | $257 |
| Income Tax | $8 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,288 | $6,902 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,790 | $5,676 |
| Other | $4,029 | $2,678 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,505 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $7,082 | $1,266 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,215 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,456 | $575 |
| Health | $229 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $4,048 | $416 |
| Parks & Recreation | $593 | $376 |
| Housing | $4,902 | $2,713 |
| Sewerage | $325 | $0 |
| Utilities | $4,222 | $2,566 |
| Interest on Debt | $3 | $190 |
| Other | $30,692 | $5,120 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.