Renton, WA vs Tacoma, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tacoma, WA spends 42% more per resident than Renton, WA: $23,896 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 61/100 (grade C) for Tacoma, WA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Renton, WA carries the lighter load at $211 per resident versus $1,835 for Tacoma, WA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Renton, WA leads with police at $2,978 per resident, while Tacoma, WA leads with education at $1,396.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Renton, WA at 20% of total revenue, whereas Tacoma, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 20%.
Summary
Tacoma spends 29.4% more per capita than Renton ($7,028/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 | $131 |
| Sales Tax | $377 | $789 |
| Income Tax | $2,146 | $3,984 |
| Intergovernmental | $792 | $17,186 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,771 | $5,236 |
| Other | $4,728 | $6,696 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,978 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $753 | $1,153 |
| Highways & Roads | $90 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $1,396 |
| Public Welfare | $1,270 | $1,807 |
| Health | $0 | $283 |
| Hospitals | $496 | $396 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,288 | $1,048 |
| Housing | $3,801 | $4,805 |
| Sewerage | $39 | $798 |
| Utilities | $3,428 | $5,418 |
| Other | $2,725 | $6,793 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.