West Hartford, CT vs Waterbury, CT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Waterbury, CT and West Hartford, CT spend within 11.9% of each other per resident — $55,426 versus $49,530 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
West Hartford, CT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 41/100 (grade D) for Waterbury, CT — a 34-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
West Hartford, CT reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Waterbury, CT carries $108 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in West Hartford, CT at $36,675 per resident and in Waterbury, CT at $33,920.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 3% of total revenue in West Hartford, CT and 100% in Waterbury, CT.
Summary
Waterbury spends 10.6% more per capita than West Hartford ($5,896/person difference). West Hartford, CT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $41 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,399 | $251 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $3 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,341 | $42,242 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,249 |
| Other | $1,522 | $2,485 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $464 | $2,439 |
| Highways & Roads | $387 | $0 |
| Education | $36,675 | $33,920 |
| Public Welfare | $1,942 | $1,768 |
| Health | $505 | $173 |
| Hospitals | $539 | $313 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,675 | $161 |
| Housing | $2,852 | $3,627 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $74 |
| Utilities | $17 | $869 |
| Other | $4,475 | $12,083 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.