Salem, OR vs Springfield, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Salem, OR spends 26% more per resident than Springfield, OR: $15,959 against $12,624. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Salem, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 68/100 (grade B) against 55/100 (grade C) for Springfield, OR — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Springfield, OR carries the lighter load at $23 per resident versus $1,019 for Salem, OR. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Salem, OR leads with parks and recreation at $899 per resident, while Springfield, OR leads with fire protection at $393.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Salem, OR at 12% of total revenue, whereas Springfield, OR relies most on other revenue at 194%.
Summary
Salem spends 26.4% more per capita than Springfield ($3,335/person difference). Salem, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $29 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $301 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,706 | $364 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,510 | $2,497 |
| Other | $5,114 | $13,347 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $185 | $393 |
| Highways & Roads | $285 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,100 | $1,098 |
| Health | $311 | $375 |
| Hospitals | $2,834 | $181 |
| Parks & Recreation | $899 | $0 |
| Housing | $3,037 | $3,952 |
| Sewerage | $317 | $236 |
| Utilities | $1,581 | $1,394 |
| Other | $5,409 | $4,994 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.