Springfield, OR vs Salem, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Salem, OR spends 26% more per resident than Springfield, OR: $15,959 against $12,624. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Salem, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 68/100 (grade B) against 55/100 (grade C) for Springfield, OR — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Springfield, OR carries the lighter load at $23 per resident versus $1,019 for Salem, OR. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Springfield, OR leads with fire protection at $393 per resident, while Salem, OR leads with parks and recreation at $899.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Springfield, OR at 194% of total revenue, whereas Salem, OR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 12%.
Summary
Salem spends 20.9% more per capita than Springfield ($3,335/person difference). Salem, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $44 | $29 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $301 |
| Intergovernmental | $364 | $5,706 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,497 | $2,510 |
| Other | $13,347 | $5,114 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $393 | $185 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $285 |
| Public Welfare | $1,098 | $1,100 |
| Health | $375 | $311 |
| Hospitals | $181 | $2,834 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $899 |
| Housing | $3,952 | $3,037 |
| Sewerage | $236 | $317 |
| Utilities | $1,394 | $1,581 |
| Other | $4,994 | $5,409 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.