Wichita, KS vs San Antonio, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Antonio, TX outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $16,943 versus $7,986, a 112% 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 68/100 (grade B) for San Antonio, TX — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $2,131 for San Antonio, TX. 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 San Antonio, TX at $1,045.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in Wichita, KS and 17% in San Antonio, TX.
Summary
San Antonio spends 52.9% more per capita than Wichita ($8,957/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 | $9 |
| Sales Tax | $246 | $293 |
| Income Tax | $57 | $1,000 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,895 | $14,312 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,193 | $4,025 |
| Other | $2,783 | $3,184 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $152 | $396 |
| Highways & Roads | $126 | $158 |
| Education | $2 | $23 |
| Public Welfare | $441 | $1,188 |
| Health | $254 | $293 |
| Hospitals | $113 | $993 |
| Parks & Recreation | $874 | $1,045 |
| Housing | $2,618 | $3,570 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $100 |
| Utilities | $1,225 | $3,826 |
| Interest on Debt | $70 | $0 |
| Other | $2,111 | $5,352 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.