Waterbury, CT vs Stamford, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterbury, CT and Stamford, CT spend within 5.9% of each other per resident — $55,426 versus $52,355 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Stamford, CT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Waterbury, CT — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterbury, CT carries the lighter load at $108 per resident versus $239 for Stamford, CT. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Waterbury, CT at $33,920 per resident and in Stamford, CT at $31,665.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Waterbury, CT at 100% of total revenue, whereas Stamford, CT relies most on other revenue at 6%.
Summary
Waterbury spends 5.9% more per capita than Stamford ($3,071/person difference). Stamford, CT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $251 | $690 |
| Income Tax | $3 | $262 |
| Intergovernmental | $42,242 | $1,226 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,249 | $0 |
| Other | $2,485 | $2,342 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,439 | $615 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $865 |
| Education | $33,920 | $31,665 |
| Public Welfare | $1,768 | $597 |
| Health | $173 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $313 | $24 |
| Parks & Recreation | $161 | $579 |
| Housing | $3,627 | $3,222 |
| Sewerage | $74 | $0 |
| Utilities | $869 | $1,134 |
| Other | $12,083 | $13,653 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.