Pueblo, CO vs Thornton, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Pueblo, CO and Thornton, CO spend within 14.4% of each other per resident — $16,547 versus $14,462 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Thornton, CO edges Pueblo, CO on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 54/100 (grade C) to 53/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Pueblo, CO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Thornton, CO carries $1,221 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Pueblo, CO leads with fire protection at $283 per resident, while Thornton, CO leads with parks and recreation at $1,969.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 126% of total revenue in Pueblo, CO and 100% in Thornton, CO.
Summary
Pueblo spends 14.4% more per capita than Thornton ($2,085/person difference). Thornton, CO has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 54/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $42 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $115 | $530 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $420 |
| Intergovernmental | $11,588 | $17,658 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $4,216 |
| Other | $1,069 | $1,541 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $12 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $283 | $427 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $411 |
| Public Welfare | $694 | $899 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $173 |
| Parks & Recreation | $88 | $1,969 |
| Housing | $3,814 | $3,363 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $159 |
| Utilities | $3,526 | $3,118 |
| Other | $8,130 | $3,943 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.