Wichita, KS vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $25,457 versus $7,986, a 219% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS edges Atlanta, GA on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 90/100 (grade A) to 85/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Atlanta, GA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Wichita, KS carries $132 per resident. 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 Atlanta, GA at $1,274.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in Wichita, KS and 6% in Atlanta, GA.
Summary
Atlanta spends 68.6% more per capita than Wichita ($17,471/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 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $246 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $5,645 |
| Other | $2,783 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $152 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $513 |
| Education | $2 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $1,587 |
| Health | $254 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $343 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $8,026 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $0 |
| Other | $2,111 | $8,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.