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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend
A

Grade A Cities, Best Fiscal Health in America

These cities scored 80+ on our Fiscal Health Index, strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions, and diversified revenue. Explore every Grade A city.

Grade AGrade BGrade CGrade DGrade F
Cities
117
Total Population
19.4M
Avg Spending/Capita
$12,741
Avg Debt/Capita
$96

All 117 Grade A Cities

San Jose, CA

Pop. 1.0M

A
Total Spending
$18.0B
Per Capita
$17,934

Mesa, AZ

Pop. 503K

A
Total Spending
$6.4B
Per Capita
$12,768

Omaha, NE

Pop. 489K

A
Total Spending
$5.5B
Per Capita
$11,180

Wichita, KS

Pop. 396K

A
Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$7,986

Irvine, CA

Pop. 305K

A
Total Spending
$3.8B
Per Capita
$12,561

Chula Vista, CA

Pop. 276K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$10,149

Reno, NV

Pop. 265K

A
Total Spending
$3.1B
Per Capita
$11,698

Fort Wayne, IN

Pop. 265K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$10,590

Scottsdale, AZ

Pop. 241K

A
Total Spending
$5.2M
Per Capita
$21

Elk Grove, CA

Pop. 176K

A
Total Spending
$1.5B
Per Capita
$8,768

West Valley City, UT

Pop. 139K

A
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$11,407

Wilmington, NC

Pop. 117K

A
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$13,444

Davenport, IA

Pop. 101K

A
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$14,236

Toms River, NJ

Pop. 93K

A
Total Spending
$921.9M
Per Capita
$9,931

Waukegan, IL

Pop. 89K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,915

Hawthorne, CA

Pop. 87K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$12,805

Rapid City, SD

Pop. 76K

A
Total Spending
$970.2M
Per Capita
$12,828

Rowlett, TX

Pop. 63K

A
Total Spending
$783.0M
Per Capita
$12,372

Gilroy, CA

Pop. 59K

A
Total Spending
$735.5M
Per Capita
$12,531

Midwest City, OK

Pop. 58K

A
Total Spending
$680.5M
Per Capita
$11,708

Harrisburg, PA

Pop. 50K

A
Total Spending
$3.7M
Per Capita
$73

Winston-Salem, NC

Pop. 250K

A
Total Spending
$3.1B
Per Capita
$12,544

Edmond, OK

Pop. 95K

A
Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$13,890

Santa Fe, NM

Pop. 88K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$13,235

Missoula, MT

Pop. 75K

A
Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$13,853

Bolingbrook, IL

Pop. 74K

A
Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$13,729

Palatine, IL

Pop. 67K

A
Total Spending
$824.3M
Per Capita
$12,261

Lenexa, KS

Pop. 57K

A
Total Spending
$753.7M
Per Capita
$13,108

DeSoto, TX

Pop. 56K

A
Total Spending
$649.1M
Per Capita
$11,616

Rio Rancho, NM

Pop. 104K

A
Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$9,705

Bethlehem, PA

Pop. 77K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$14,468

Oshkosh, WI

Pop. 66K

A
Total Spending
$956.5M
Per Capita
$14,411

Greenwood, IN

Pop. 64K

A
Total Spending
$930.5M
Per Capita
$14,636

West Allis, WI

Pop. 60K

A
Total Spending
$874.6M
Per Capita
$14,599

Madison, WI

Pop. 269K

A
Total Spending
$5.9B
Per Capita
$21,859

Fontana, CA

Pop. 209K

A
Total Spending
$2.6B
Per Capita
$12,317

Little Rock, AR

Pop. 202K

A
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$17,625

Aurora, IL

Pop. 181K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$15,301

Topeka, KS

Pop. 126K

A
Total Spending
$1.8B
Per Capita
$14,435

Pittsburg, CA

Pop. 76K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$15,361

Appleton, WI

Pop. 75K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$15,241

Eau Claire, WI

Pop. 69K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$15,744

Kenner, LA

Pop. 66K

A
Total Spending
$700.2M
Per Capita
$10,644

Janesville, WI

Pop. 66K

A
Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$15,888

La Habra, CA

Pop. 63K

A
Total Spending
$976.0M
Per Capita
$15,515

Mount Prospect, IL

Pop. 56K

A
Total Spending
$894.5M
Per Capita
$15,919

Rochester, MN

Pop. 121K

A
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$13,796

Wichita Falls, TX

Pop. 102K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,130

Reading, PA

Pop. 95K

A
Total Spending
$1.5B
Per Capita
$16,327

Mission Viejo, CA

Pop. 93K

A
Total Spending
$857.5M
Per Capita
$9,197

Franklin, TN

Pop. 84K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$14,081

Atlanta, GA

Pop. 495K

A
Total Spending
$12.6B
Per Capita
$25,457

Stockton, CA

Pop. 320K

A
Total Spending
$4.0B
Per Capita
$12,349

Cincinnati, OH

Pop. 309K

A
Total Spending
$7.6B
Per Capita
$24,651

Laredo, TX

Pop. 255K

A
Total Spending
$4.2B
Per Capita
$16,559

Overland Park, KS

Pop. 197K

A
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$8,044

Brownsville, TX

Pop. 187K

A
Total Spending
$1.9B
Per Capita
$9,921

Corona, CA

Pop. 158K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$17,606

Pasadena, TX

Pop. 151K

A
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$8,970

Provo, UT

Pop. 114K

A
Total Spending
$900.6M
Per Capita
$7,873

Rock Hill, SC

Pop. 74K

A
Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$17,824

Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY

Pop. 321K

A
Total Spending
$4.3B
Per Capita
$13,449

Olathe, KS

Pop. 142K

A
Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$14,735

Fishers, IN

Pop. 99K

A
Total Spending
$683.4M
Per Capita
$6,900

Goodyear, AZ

Pop. 98K

A
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$16,771

Decatur, IL

Pop. 71K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$15,270

Kokomo, IN

Pop. 60K

A
Total Spending
$542.3M
Per Capita
$9,109

Grand Island, NE

Pop. 53K

A
Total Spending
$629.7M
Per Capita
$11,921

Houston, TX

Pop. 2.3M

A
Total Spending
$33.1B
Per Capita
$14,400

Arlington, TX

Pop. 393K

A
Total Spending
$4.6B
Per Capita
$11,769

Santa Clarita, CA

Pop. 226K

A
Total Spending
$2.0B
Per Capita
$8,679

Denton, TX

Pop. 142K

A
Total Spending
$3.1B
Per Capita
$21,622

Richmond, CA

Pop. 116K

A
Total Spending
$2.5B
Per Capita
$21,469

San Angelo, TX

Pop. 99K

A
Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$13,075

Lehi, UT

Pop. 77K

A
Total Spending
$798.1M
Per Capita
$10,350

Scranton, PA

Pop. 76K

A
Total Spending
$795.1M
Per Capita
$10,446

Commerce City, CO

Pop. 63K

A
Total Spending
$894.0M
Per Capita
$14,179

Las Vegas, NV

Pop. 645K

A
Total Spending
$5.9B
Per Capita
$9,085

Columbus, GA

Pop. 205K

A
Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$15,522

Springfield, MO

Pop. 169K

A
Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$15,703

Beaumont, TX

Pop. 115K

A
Total Spending
$2.4B
Per Capita
$20,572

Schaumburg, IL

Pop. 78K

A
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$21,319

Evanston, IL

Pop. 77K

A
Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$21,161

Rockville, MD

Pop. 67K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$16,912

Burnsville, MN

Pop. 64K

A
Total Spending
$591.8M
Per Capita
$9,235

Owensboro, KY

Pop. 60K

A
Total Spending
$823.4M
Per Capita
$13,719

Albuquerque, NM

Pop. 563K

A
Total Spending
$9.7B
Per Capita
$17,237

Tempe, AZ

Pop. 181K

A
Total Spending
$4.1B
Per Capita
$22,717

Killeen, TX

Pop. 154K

A
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$9,074

Hoffman Estates, IL

Pop. 52K

A
Total Spending
$1.1B
Per Capita
$21,538

Irving, TX

Pop. 255K

A
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$14,101

Glendale, AZ

Pop. 248K

A
Total Spending
$4.6B
Per Capita
$18,356

Clarksville, TN

Pop. 168K

A
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$8,523

Independence, MO

Pop. 122K

A
Total Spending
$999.2M
Per Capita
$8,176

North Charleston, SC

Pop. 116K

A
Total Spending
$1.5B
Per Capita
$12,917

Centennial, CO

Pop. 108K

A
Total Spending
$5.8M
Per Capita
$54

Sandy Springs, GA

Pop. 107K

A
Total Spending
$968.2M
Per Capita
$9,030

Carson, CA

Pop. 94K

A
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,719

Deltona, FL

Pop. 94K

A
Total Spending
$648.7M
Per Capita
$6,874

Johns Creek, GA

Pop. 82K

A
Total Spending
$433.4M
Per Capita
$5,271

Auburn, AL

Pop. 77K

A
Total Spending
$908.9M
Per Capita
$11,856

Bowling Green, KY

Pop. 72K

A
Total Spending
$754.7M
Per Capita
$10,426

St. Joseph, MO

Pop. 72K

A
Total Spending
$777.7M
Per Capita
$10,772

Lynwood, CA

Pop. 66K

A
Total Spending
$727.7M
Per Capita
$10,968

Bellevue, NE

Pop. 63K

A
Total Spending
$22.0M
Per Capita
$347

Blue Springs, MO

Pop. 59K

A
Total Spending
$472.1M
Per Capita
$8,040

Shoreline, WA

Pop. 59K

A
Total Spending
$323.3M
Per Capita
$5,511

Terre Haute, IN

Pop. 59K

A
Total Spending
$688.9M
Per Capita
$11,757

Wylie, TX

Pop. 57K

A
Total Spending
$621.5M
Per Capita
$10,891

Brookhaven, GA

Pop. 57K

A
Total Spending
$352.5M
Per Capita
$6,201

Smyrna, GA

Pop. 56K

A
Total Spending
$582.2M
Per Capita
$10,423

Manhattan, KS

Pop. 54K

A
Total Spending
$663.3M
Per Capita
$12,218

Elkhart, IN

Pop. 54K

A
Total Spending
$476.0M
Per Capita
$8,849

Kannapolis, NC

Pop. 53K

A
Total Spending
$641.1M
Per Capita
$12,025

Marana, AZ

Pop. 53K

A
Total Spending
$638.1M
Per Capita
$12,145

Cathedral City, CA

Pop. 52K

A
Total Spending
$667.9M
Per Capita
$12,853

Mishawaka, IN

Pop. 51K

A
Total Spending
$553.0M
Per Capita
$10,864

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Grade A fiscal health score mean?

Excellent fiscal health, strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

How many US cities have a Grade A?

There are 117 cities with a Grade A fiscal health score out of 871 cities tracked. This represents 13.4% of all cities in our database.

What factors determine a city's fiscal health grade?

Our Fiscal Health Score weighs six factors: budget balance and reserves (25%), debt burden vs. peers (20%), pension funding ratio (20%), spending efficiency (15%), revenue diversity (10%), and three-year fiscal trend (10%). Cities scoring 80+ earn a Grade A.

What is the average spending per capita for Grade A cities?

Grade A cities spend an average of $12,741 per resident annually. Their average debt per capita is $96. These figures are based on U.S. Census Bureau data.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances. Fiscal Health Scores are proprietary composite scores, see methodology.

The this entity category groups every U.S. municipal and county government finances entity sharing this attribute. The list above is the data; the paragraphs below explain what the grouping means against the broader the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances distribution and how to read the relative rankings within the category.

For readers using this category as a starting point, the per-entity detail pages linked from the table above carry the underlying the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances data in full. The category-level view is the filter; the per-entity pages are the actual answer.

Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.