Vancouver, WA vs Tacoma, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tacoma, WA outspends Vancouver, WA by a wide margin per resident — $23,896 versus $13,434, a 78% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Tacoma, WA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 45/100 (grade D) for Vancouver, WA — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Vancouver, WA carries the lighter load at $866 per resident versus $1,835 for Tacoma, WA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Vancouver, WA leads with parks and recreation at $871 per resident, while Tacoma, WA leads with education at $1,396.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Vancouver, WA at 114% of total revenue, whereas Tacoma, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 20%.
Summary
Tacoma spends 43.8% more per capita than Vancouver ($10,461/person difference). Tacoma, WA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $31 | $131 |
| Sales Tax | $456 | $789 |
| Income Tax | $140 | $3,984 |
| Intergovernmental | $141 | $17,186 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,641 | $5,236 |
| Other | $6,500 | $6,696 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $1,153 |
| Education | $3 | $1,396 |
| Public Welfare | $968 | $1,807 |
| Health | $0 | $283 |
| Hospitals | $661 | $396 |
| Parks & Recreation | $871 | $1,048 |
| Housing | $3,594 | $4,805 |
| Sewerage | $241 | $798 |
| Utilities | $2,481 | $5,418 |
| Other | $4,615 | $6,793 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.