San Diego, CA vs Milwaukee, WI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Diego, CA outspends Milwaukee, WI by a wide margin per resident — $43,306 versus $19,417, a 123% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Milwaukee, WI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 62/100 (grade C) against 53/100 (grade C) for San Diego, CA — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: police leads in San Diego, CA at $3,335 per resident and in Milwaukee, WI at $3,642.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in San Diego, CA at 39% of total revenue, whereas Milwaukee, WI relies most on sales tax at 59%.
Summary
San Diego spends 123.0% more per capita than Milwaukee ($23,889/person difference). Milwaukee, WI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 62/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $124 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $63 | $6,548 |
| Income Tax | $194 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $57 | $1,231 |
| Charges & Fees | $14 | $0 |
| Other | $3,801 | $3,984 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,335 | $3,642 |
| Fire Protection | $1,278 | $802 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,408 | $23 |
| Education | $2,005 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $700 | $180 |
| Health | $411 | $1 |
| Parks & Recreation | $436 | $2,206 |
| Housing | $4,476 | $1,071 |
| Sewerage | $43 | $0 |
| Utilities | $11,704 | $1,866 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,608 |
| Other | $17,509 | $8,018 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.