Portland, OR vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Portland, OR and Austin, TX spend within 8.7% of each other per resident — $23,675 versus $21,772 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 63/100 (grade C) for Portland, OR — a 12-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Austin, TX carries the lighter load at $1,229 per resident versus $1,574 for Portland, OR. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Portland, OR at $2,477 per resident and in Austin, TX at $1,801.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 19% of total revenue in Portland, OR and 18% in Austin, TX.
Summary
Portland spends 8.7% more per capita than Austin ($1,903/person difference). Austin, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,695 | $526 |
| Income Tax | $130 | $1,465 |
| Intergovernmental | $8,979 | $14,031 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,883 | $3,247 |
| Other | $7,916 | $5,645 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,700 | $634 |
| Highways & Roads | $139 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $51 |
| Public Welfare | $3,607 | $1,837 |
| Health | $0 | $517 |
| Hospitals | $2,893 | $664 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,477 | $1,801 |
| Housing | $3,694 | $3,741 |
| Sewerage | $630 | $865 |
| Utilities | $1,845 | $3,264 |
| Other | $6,689 | $8,399 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.