Salt Lake City, UT vs Provo, UT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Salt Lake City, UT outspends Provo, UT by a wide margin per resident — $25,335 versus $7,873, a 222% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Provo, UT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Salt Lake City, UT — a 33-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Provo, UT carries the lighter load at $632 per resident versus $1,610 for Salt Lake City, UT. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Salt Lake City, UT at $1,879 per resident and in Provo, UT at $964.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Salt Lake City, UT at 5% of total revenue, whereas Provo, UT relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 18%.
Summary
Salt Lake City spends 221.8% more per capita than Provo ($17,463/person difference). Provo, UT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $213 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,451 | $716 |
| Income Tax | $737 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,455 | $2,902 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,537 | $1,503 |
| Other | $8,729 | $1,669 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $499 | $149 |
| Highways & Roads | $536 | $0 |
| Education | $90 | $49 |
| Public Welfare | $2,075 | $209 |
| Health | $1,244 | $295 |
| Hospitals | $470 | $193 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,879 | $964 |
| Housing | $3,710 | $1,450 |
| Sewerage | $371 | $275 |
| Utilities | $3,955 | $550 |
| Interest on Debt | $43 | $0 |
| Other | $10,462 | $3,738 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.