Pueblo, CO vs Aurora, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Aurora, CO and Pueblo, CO spend within 5.2% of each other per resident — $17,400 versus $16,547 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Aurora, CO holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 66/100 (grade B) against 53/100 (grade C) for Pueblo, CO — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Pueblo, CO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Aurora, CO carries $4,017 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Pueblo, CO leads with fire protection at $283 per resident, while Aurora, CO leads with parks and recreation at $1,299.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Pueblo, CO at 126% of total revenue, whereas Aurora, CO relies most on charges and fees at 17%.
Summary
Aurora spends 4.9% more per capita than Pueblo ($853/person difference). Aurora, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 66/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $42 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $115 | $303 |
| Intergovernmental | $11,588 | $825 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,728 |
| Other | $1,069 | $2,042 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $12 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $283 | $785 |
| Public Welfare | $694 | $1,001 |
| Health | $0 | $185 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $678 |
| Parks & Recreation | $88 | $1,299 |
| Housing | $3,814 | $3,493 |
| Utilities | $3,526 | $1,978 |
| Other | $8,130 | $7,981 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.