Seattle, WA vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Seattle, WA outspends Arlington, TX by a wide margin per resident — $34,463 versus $11,769, a 193% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 61/100 (grade C) for Seattle, WA — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, TX carries the lighter load at $594 per resident versus $1,100 for Seattle, WA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Seattle, WA at $3,923 per resident and in Arlington, TX at $1,352.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 13% of total revenue in Seattle, WA and 41% in Arlington, TX.
Summary
Seattle spends 192.8% more per capita than Arlington ($22,693/person difference). Arlington, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1,831 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,094 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $3,496 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $9,846 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,960 | $2,949 |
| Other | $8,544 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $210 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $149 |
| Education | $1,461 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $3,439 | $826 |
| Health | $1,131 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $1,871 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,923 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $3,727 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $952 | $141 |
| Utilities | $6,489 | $1,385 |
| Other | $11,260 | $4,404 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.