Wichita, KS vs Albuquerque, NM
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Albuquerque, NM outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $17,237 versus $7,986, a 116% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 81/100 (grade A) for Albuquerque, NM — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $613 for Albuquerque, NM. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Wichita, KS at $874 per resident and in Albuquerque, NM at $1,990.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Wichita, KS at 14% of total revenue, whereas Albuquerque, NM relies most on charges and fees at 11%.
Summary
Albuquerque spends 53.7% more per capita than Wichita ($9,251/person difference). Wichita, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $36 |
| Sales Tax | $246 | $355 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $1,580 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $1,897 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $2,633 |
| Other | $2,783 | $2,174 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $152 | $440 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $172 |
| Education | $2 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $419 |
| Health | $254 | $291 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $328 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $1,990 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $4,080 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $5,212 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $1,096 |
| Other | $2,111 | $3,209 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.