West Des Moines, IA vs Cedar Rapids, IA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cedar Rapids, IA outspends West Des Moines, IA by a wide margin per resident — $23,973 versus $14,779, a 62% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
On the CitySpend Fiscal Health Score the two are level: West Des Moines, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA both land at 53/100 (grade C and C respectively), so the deciding factors sit in the underlying six-factor breakdown rather than the rolled-up grade.
On debt, Cedar Rapids, IA carries the lighter load at $1,391 per resident versus $2,050 for West Des Moines, IA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in West Des Moines, IA at $1,257 per resident and in Cedar Rapids, IA at $1,165.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 48% of total revenue in West Des Moines, IA and 16% in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Summary
Cedar Rapids spends 38.4% more per capita than West Des Moines ($9,194/person difference). Both cities share the same Fiscal Health Score.
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $24 | $8 |
| Sales Tax | $677 | $2,450 |
| Income Tax | $355 | $1,513 |
| Intergovernmental | $16,920 | $5,898 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,669 | $3,261 |
| Other | $3,239 | $4,807 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $240 | $466 |
| Highways & Roads | $49 | $102 |
| Education | $3 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,500 | $1,987 |
| Health | $615 | $567 |
| Hospitals | $290 | $612 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,257 | $1,165 |
| Housing | $2,213 | $4,126 |
| Sewerage | $194 | $314 |
| Utilities | $669 | $4,004 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $737 |
| Other | $7,750 | $9,894 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.