Tallahassee, FL vs Cape Coral, FL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tallahassee, FL outspends Cape Coral, FL by a wide margin per resident — $29,857 versus $14,436, a 107% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Cape Coral, FL edges Tallahassee, FL on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 69/100 (grade B) to 63/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Tallahassee, FL carries the lighter load at $543 per resident versus $2,046 for Cape Coral, FL. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Tallahassee, FL at $6,805 per resident and in Cape Coral, FL at $3,232.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Tallahassee, FL at 19% of total revenue, whereas Cape Coral, FL relies most on other revenue at 7%.
Summary
Tallahassee spends 106.8% more per capita than Cape Coral ($15,421/person difference). Cape Coral, FL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $150 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $408 | $384 |
| Income Tax | $1,631 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $9,184 | $177 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,128 | $1,811 |
| Other | $6,392 | $3,015 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $6,805 | $3,232 |
| Education | $0 | $1,446 |
| Public Welfare | $3,693 | $699 |
| Hospitals | $197 | $15 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,261 | $952 |
| Housing | $3,892 | $2,474 |
| Sewerage | $223 | $465 |
| Utilities | $3,311 | $481 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,460 | $0 |
| Other | $9,016 | $4,672 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.