Wichita, KS vs Portland, OR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Portland, OR outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $23,675 versus $7,986, a 196% 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 63/100 (grade C) for Portland, OR — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $1,574 for Portland, OR. 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 Portland, OR at $2,477.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in Wichita, KS and 19% in Portland, OR.
Summary
Portland spends 66.3% more per capita than Wichita ($15,689/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 | $1,695 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $130 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $8,979 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $3,883 |
| Other | $2,783 | $7,916 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $152 | $1,700 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $139 |
| Education | $2 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $3,607 |
| Health | $254 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $2,893 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $2,477 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $3,694 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $630 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $1,845 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $0 |
| Other | $2,111 | $6,689 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.