Wichita, KS vs Detroit, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $7,986, a 289% 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 69/100 (grade B) for Detroit, MI — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Wichita, KS leads with parks and recreation at $874 per resident, while Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Wichita, KS at 14% of total revenue, whereas Detroit, MI relies most on other revenue at 15%.
Summary
Detroit spends 74.3% more per capita than Wichita ($23,101/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 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $246 | $200 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $1,045 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $291 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $2,228 |
| Other | $2,783 | $6,892 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $152 | $2,429 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $0 |
| Education | $2 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $833 |
| Health | $254 | $396 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $2,217 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $950 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $5,791 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $451 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $2,737 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $2,068 |
| Other | $2,111 | $13,216 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.