Utica, NY vs Buffalo, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Buffalo, NY outspends Utica, NY by a wide margin per resident — $60,354 versus $15,612, a 287% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Utica, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Buffalo, NY — a 8-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: Utica, NY leads with parks and recreation at $1,207 per resident, while Buffalo, NY leads with education at $39,263.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Utica, NY at 100% of total revenue, whereas Buffalo, NY relies most on other revenue at 22%.
Summary
Buffalo spends 74.1% more per capita than Utica ($44,742/person difference). Utica, NY has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $153 | $252 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $898 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,364 | $840 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,679 |
| Other | $1,276 | $2,952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $230 | $306 |
| Highways & Roads | $230 | $432 |
| Education | $0 | $39,263 |
| Public Welfare | $537 | $1,112 |
| Hospitals | $480 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,207 | $410 |
| Housing | $3,171 | $3,491 |
| Sewerage | $123 | $189 |
| Utilities | $1,553 | $3,425 |
| Other | $8,082 | $11,726 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.