Tampa, FL vs Cape Coral, FL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tampa, FL outspends Cape Coral, FL by a wide margin per resident — $30,690 versus $14,436, a 113% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Cape Coral, FL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 33/100 (grade F) for Tampa, FL — a 36-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Cape Coral, FL carries the lighter load at $2,046 per resident versus $2,378 for Tampa, FL. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Tampa, FL at $7,576 per resident and in Cape Coral, FL at $3,232.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Tampa, FL at 55% of total revenue, whereas Cape Coral, FL relies most on other revenue at 7%.
Summary
Tampa spends 112.6% more per capita than Cape Coral ($16,254/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)
| Sales Tax | $1,180 | $384 |
| Income Tax | $2,437 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $13,224 | $177 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,962 | $1,811 |
| Other | $4,657 | $3,015 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $7,576 | $3,232 |
| Highways & Roads | $418 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $1,446 |
| Public Welfare | $1,507 | $699 |
| Hospitals | $703 | $15 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,723 | $952 |
| Housing | $4,778 | $2,474 |
| Sewerage | $311 | $465 |
| Utilities | $4,695 | $481 |
| Interest on Debt | $89 | $0 |
| Other | $8,890 | $4,672 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.