Renton, WA vs Bellevue, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bellevue, WA spends 31% more per resident than Renton, WA: $22,065 against $16,868. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Renton, WA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 55/100 (grade C) for Bellevue, WA — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Renton, WA carries the lighter load at $211 per resident versus $1,741 for Bellevue, WA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Renton, WA leads with police at $2,978 per resident, while Bellevue, WA leads with parks and recreation at $3,103.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Renton, WA at 20% of total revenue, whereas Bellevue, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 34%.
Summary
Bellevue spends 23.6% more per capita than Renton ($5,197/person difference). Renton, WA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $31 | $1,441 |
| Sales Tax | $377 | $1,282 |
| Income Tax | $2,146 | $50 |
| Intergovernmental | $792 | $8,407 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,771 | $5,003 |
| Other | $4,728 | $8,143 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,978 | $162 |
| Fire Protection | $753 | $966 |
| Highways & Roads | $90 | $80 |
| Public Welfare | $1,270 | $1,774 |
| Hospitals | $496 | $2,517 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,288 | $3,103 |
| Housing | $3,801 | $3,270 |
| Sewerage | $39 | $199 |
| Utilities | $3,428 | $3,441 |
| Other | $2,725 | $6,553 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.