Waterloo, IA vs Ames, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Ames, IA outspends Waterloo, IA by a wide margin per resident — $44,915 versus $17,802, a 152% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Waterloo, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 71/100 (grade B) against 34/100 (grade F) for Ames, IA — a 37-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterloo, IA carries the lighter load at $605 per resident versus $680 for Ames, IA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Waterloo, IA leads with parks and recreation at $1,325 per resident, while Ames, IA leads with health at $765.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Waterloo, IA at 17% of total revenue, whereas Ames, IA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 10%.
Summary
Ames spends 60.4% more per capita than Waterloo ($27,113/person difference). Waterloo, IA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 71/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $59 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $677 | $413 |
| Income Tax | $920 | $648 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,021 | $3,359 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,614 | $1,979 |
| Other | $3,969 | $2,187 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $223 | $155 |
| Highways & Roads | $108 | $61 |
| Education | $10 | $41 |
| Public Welfare | $2,637 | $3,950 |
| Health | $431 | $765 |
| Hospitals | $1,864 | $83 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,325 | $648 |
| Housing | $3,169 | $1,535 |
| Sewerage | $205 | $268 |
| Utilities | $1,874 | $2,103 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,924 |
| General Admin | $0 | $30,834 |
| Other | $5,957 | $2,548 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.