Stamford, CT vs Bristol, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Stamford, CT spends 16% more per resident than Bristol, CT: $52,355 against $44,977. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Stamford, CT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 40/100 (grade D) for Bristol, CT — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Bristol, CT carries the lighter load at $47 per resident versus $239 for Stamford, CT. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Stamford, CT at $31,665 per resident and in Bristol, CT at $30,607.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Stamford, CT at 6% of total revenue, whereas Bristol, CT relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Stamford spends 16.4% more per capita than Bristol ($7,378/person difference). Stamford, CT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $690 | $89 |
| Income Tax | $262 | $67 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,226 | $20,060 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,528 |
| Other | $2,342 | $2,307 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $615 | $379 |
| Highways & Roads | $865 | $219 |
| Education | $31,665 | $30,607 |
| Public Welfare | $597 | $1,237 |
| Health | $0 | $413 |
| Hospitals | $24 | $270 |
| Parks & Recreation | $579 | $777 |
| Housing | $3,222 | $3,405 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $112 |
| Utilities | $1,134 | $2,175 |
| Other | $13,653 | $5,384 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.