Stamford, CT vs Waterbury, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterbury, CT and Stamford, CT spend within 5.9% of each other per resident — $55,426 versus $52,355 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Stamford, CT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Waterbury, CT — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterbury, CT carries the lighter load at $108 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 Waterbury, CT at $33,920.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Stamford, CT at 6% of total revenue, whereas Waterbury, CT relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Waterbury spends 5.5% more per capita than Stamford ($3,071/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 | $251 |
| Income Tax | $262 | $3 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,226 | $42,242 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,249 |
| Other | $2,342 | $2,485 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $615 | $2,439 |
| Highways & Roads | $865 | $0 |
| Education | $31,665 | $33,920 |
| Public Welfare | $597 | $1,768 |
| Health | $0 | $173 |
| Hospitals | $24 | $313 |
| Parks & Recreation | $579 | $161 |
| Housing | $3,222 | $3,627 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $74 |
| Utilities | $1,134 | $869 |
| Other | $13,653 | $12,083 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.