Syracuse, NY vs Cheektowaga, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Syracuse, NY outspends Cheektowaga, NY by a wide margin per resident — $55,830 versus $10,250, a 445% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Cheektowaga, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 68/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Syracuse, NY — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Syracuse, NY leads with education at $35,942 per resident, while Cheektowaga, NY leads with parks and recreation at $577.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 17% of total revenue in Syracuse, NY and 100% in Cheektowaga, NY.
Summary
Syracuse spends 444.7% more per capita than Cheektowaga ($45,580/person difference). Cheektowaga, NY 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 | $383 | $113 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $13 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,392 | $6,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,755 | $0 |
| Other | $873 | $151 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $282 | $77 |
| Highways & Roads | $288 | $155 |
| Education | $35,942 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $614 | $1,620 |
| Health | $0 | $168 |
| Parks & Recreation | $600 | $577 |
| Housing | $3,659 | $2,169 |
| Sewerage | $317 | $174 |
| Utilities | $1,703 | $827 |
| Interest on Debt | $16 | $0 |
| Other | $12,408 | $4,483 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.