Waterloo, IA vs Council Bluffs, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterloo, IA and Council Bluffs, IA spend within 0.8% of each other per resident — $17,802 versus $17,662 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Waterloo, IA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 71/100 (grade B) against 43/100 (grade D) for Council Bluffs, IA — a 28-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Waterloo, IA carries the lighter load at $605 per resident versus $994 for Council Bluffs, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Waterloo, IA at $1,325 per resident and in Council Bluffs, IA at $1,587.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 17% of total revenue in Waterloo, IA and 24% in Council Bluffs, IA.
Summary
Waterloo spends 0.8% more per capita than Council Bluffs ($140/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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $677 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $920 | $1,036 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,021 | $383 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,614 | $2,374 |
| Other | $3,969 | $3,427 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $223 | $850 |
| Highways & Roads | $108 | $373 |
| Education | $10 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $2,637 | $1,494 |
| Health | $431 | $562 |
| Hospitals | $1,864 | $138 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,325 | $1,587 |
| Housing | $3,169 | $3,385 |
| Sewerage | $205 | $181 |
| Utilities | $1,874 | $3,119 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $278 |
| Other | $5,957 | $5,695 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.