Westland, MI vs Lansing, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lansing, MI outspends Westland, MI by a wide margin per resident — $30,923 versus $13,362, a 131% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Westland, MI edges Lansing, MI on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 61/100 (grade C) to 55/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Westland, MI carries the lighter load at $267 per resident versus $796 for Lansing, MI. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Westland, MI at $1,333 per resident and in Lansing, MI at $3,190.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Westland, MI and 21% in Lansing, MI.
Summary
Lansing spends 56.8% more per capita than Westland ($17,561/person difference). Westland, MI 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 | $0 | $611 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $698 |
| Intergovernmental | $12,877 | $20,165 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,581 | $4,486 |
| Other | $3,274 | $6,549 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,333 | $3,190 |
| Highways & Roads | $145 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $61 |
| Public Welfare | $1,350 | $2,424 |
| Health | $859 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $136 | $2,917 |
| Parks & Recreation | $555 | $2,023 |
| Housing | $2,581 | $4,499 |
| Utilities | $812 | $3,743 |
| Other | $5,590 | $12,066 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.