Springfield, IL vs Joliet, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Joliet, IL spends 18% more per resident than Springfield, IL: $18,675 against $15,771. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Springfield, IL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 68/100 (grade B) against 40/100 (grade D) for Joliet, IL — a 28-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Springfield, IL carries the lighter load at $2,441 per resident versus $4,260 for Joliet, IL. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Springfield, IL leads with highways and roads at $1,079 per resident, while Joliet, IL leads with parks and recreation at $459.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 17% of total revenue in Springfield, IL and 92% in Joliet, IL.
Summary
Joliet spends 15.6% more per capita than Springfield ($2,904/person difference). Springfield, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $26 | $323 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,006 |
| Intergovernmental | $18,701 | $12,066 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,314 | $2,156 |
| Other | $1,274 | $3,429 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $208 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,079 | $165 |
| Education | $106 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,275 | $2,118 |
| Health | $388 | $450 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $485 |
| Parks & Recreation | $325 | $459 |
| Housing | $0 | $3,292 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $94 |
| Utilities | $1,570 | $3,400 |
| Other | $11,028 | $8,005 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.