Provo, UT vs St. George, UT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
St. George, UT outspends Provo, UT by a wide margin per resident — $12,862 versus $7,873, a 63% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Provo, UT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 62/100 (grade C) for St. George, UT — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, St. George, UT carries the lighter load at $14 per resident versus $632 for Provo, UT. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Provo, UT at $964 per resident and in St. George, UT at $2,093.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Provo, UT and 100% in St. George, UT.
Summary
St. George spends 38.8% more per capita than Provo ($4,990/person difference). Provo, UT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $2 |
| Sales Tax | $716 | $1,485 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $848 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,902 | $9,539 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,503 | $3,377 |
| Other | $1,669 | $3,654 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $149 | $259 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $157 |
| Education | $49 | $46 |
| Public Welfare | $209 | $392 |
| Health | $295 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $193 | $72 |
| Parks & Recreation | $964 | $2,093 |
| Housing | $1,450 | $1,989 |
| Sewerage | $275 | $391 |
| Utilities | $550 | $2,612 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $282 |
| Other | $3,738 | $4,569 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.