San Jose, CA vs Denver, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO outspends San Jose, CA by a wide margin per resident — $33,582 versus $17,934, a 87% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
San Jose, CA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for Denver, CO — a 39-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
San Jose, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Denver, CO carries $5,126 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in San Jose, CA at $1,424 per resident and in Denver, CO at $3,319.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in San Jose, CA at 9% of total revenue, whereas Denver, CO relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 37%.
Summary
Denver spends 46.6% more per capita than San Jose ($15,648/person difference). San Jose, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $40 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $315 | $2,070 |
| Income Tax | $1,935 | $236 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,680 | $44,661 |
| Charges & Fees | $608 | $5,207 |
| Other | $3,519 | $10,100 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $2,455 |
| Fire Protection | $0 | $1,668 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $475 |
| Education | $0 | $821 |
| Public Welfare | $810 | $764 |
| Health | $609 | $693 |
| Hospitals | $1,254 | $2,855 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,424 | $3,319 |
| Housing | $4,897 | $3,565 |
| Sewerage | $161 | $293 |
| Utilities | $2,533 | $4,292 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $7 |
| General Admin | $0 | $364 |
| Other | $6,247 | $12,011 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.