Wichita, KS vs Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $48,948 versus $7,986, a 513% 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 47/100 (grade D) for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN — a 43-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $2,292 for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Wichita, KS leads with parks and recreation at $874 per resident, while Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN leads with education at $21,061.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in Wichita, KS and 10% in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN.
Summary
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) spends 83.7% more per capita than Wichita ($40,962/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)
| Sales Tax | $246 | $373 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $135 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $13,787 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $2,444 |
| Other | $2,783 | $4,617 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,519 |
| Fire Protection | $152 | $468 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $11 |
| Education | $2 | $21,061 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $738 |
| Health | $254 | $672 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $2,100 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $1,015 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $4,231 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $217 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $3,140 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $1,667 |
| General Admin | $0 | $2,081 |
| Other | $2,111 | $10,028 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.