Orivian

Aspen · FY2021 municipal finance benchmarks

Pitkin County · Central Mountains & Resort · home rule municipality · Pop. 6,489 (2025 estimate); FY2021 per-resident figures use 6,936 · Census finance data FY2016–FY2023

You’re viewing FY2021. See the latest view (FY2023). Latest Census Bureau finance data for Aspen: FY2023. Retrieved Oct 2026. Newer years are added when the Census Bureau publishes them. Why the lag?

City website (opens in a new tab)

Compare

FY2021 in brief

Debt per resident runs 4.8× peers.

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 6.9× the Colorado median.

  • Revenue per resident withheld: Revenue per resident is 7.8x the peer median
  • Tax revenue per resident withheld: Tax revenue per resident is 8.3x the peer median

Generated from the figures below. Every number links to its Census source.

Compared with

Nearest on population, household income and region

FY2021 headline figures

Revenue per resident (definition)

Peer median
Benchmark unavailable
CO median · 227 with a published figure
$2,476
Position
Not reported for this year
5-year changenominal dollars
Withheld with this year's value
How Colorado compares on revenue per resident

Expenditures per resident (definition)

$13,516
5.9× peers
Peer median
$2,274
CO median · 220 with a published figure
$2,208
Position
Higher than 98% of the 220 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
Not enough history for a 5-year change

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

Peer median
Benchmark unavailable
CO median · 201 with a published figure
$1,072
Position
Not reported for this year
5-year changenominal dollars
Withheld with this year's value

Debt per resident (definition)

$10,178
4.8× peers
Peer median
$2,102
CO median · 199 with a published figure
$1,411
Position
Higher than 94% of the 199 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+7.7%/yr
How Colorado compares on debt per resident

How this number was calculated

Revenue per resident ·
Withheld pending verification

  1. 1Withheld

    Revenue per resident is 7.8x the peer median It stays withheld until it is verified against Aspen’s audited financial report.

  2. 2Census line items

    • A50 Housing & community development charges
    • A60 Parking charges
    • A61 Parks & recreation charges
    • A91 Water utility charges
    • A92 Electric utility charges
    • A94 Transit charges
    • B89 Federal aid
    • C89 State aid
    • D89 Local government aid
    • T01 Property tax
    • T09 General sales tax
    • T19 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
    • T20 Licenses & permits
    • T28 Licenses & permits
    • T29 Licenses & permits
    • T51 Other taxes
    • U40 Rents
    • U50 Private donations
    • U99 Miscellaneous

  3. 3Source file

What the numbers mean

  • Debt per resident is 4.8× the peer median. One large bond issue can do this; check the city's annual financial report for what it funded.

Where the money comes from and where it goes

Per resident, FY2021. Bars show Aspen; the gold tick is the peer median. How categories work

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 6.9× the Colorado median.

Sales tax per resident is high, which usually means many non-residents shop, stay or work here. Per-resident figures divide citywide totals by residents only, so they overstate what residents themselves pay and use.

The biggest difference from peers is General government: $4,492 per resident, 10.3× the peer median.

Money in

Revenue

Categories are withheld with the total until it is verified against Aspen’s audited financial report.

Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 227 reporting

Money out

Spending

$13,516
per resident5.9× peers
Money out: Aspen spending per resident by category, FY2021, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$4,49210.3×peers $437
$2,8138.7×peers $322
$2,5443.5×peers $723
$1,6555.0×peers $332
$866No peer comparisonpeers $0
$8212.5×peers $332
$3266.4×peers $51
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 220 reporting

Aspen and its peers

The five Colorado municipalities nearest on population, median household income and region. Budget size isn’t a matching factor, so peers aren’t chosen on the figures being compared. Per resident, FY2021. How peers are chosen

Open in Compare
Aspen compared with its peer municipalities, FY2021, per resident
MunicipalityRevenueExpendituresTax revenueSales taxDebt
AspenRegional hub: Sales tax per resident is 6.9× the Colorado median.$13,516$5,927$10,178
EagleUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 24.6% of total revenue in FY2021. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$2,854$2,274$1,409$1,114$3,660
AvonUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 0.5% of total revenue in FY2021. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.Regional hub: Sales tax per resident is 2.2× the Colorado median.$6,067$2,611$4,481$1,901$3,314
CarbondaleUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 9.7% of total revenue in FY2021. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$2,814$2,114$1,751$1,286$90
GypsumUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 6.2% of total revenue in FY2021. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$2,252$1,221$1,215$849$471
SalidaUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 14.7% of total revenue in FY2021. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.Regional hub: Sales tax per resident is 1.9× the Colorado median.$3,792$3,352$1,688$1,615$2,102
Peer medianBenchmark unavailable$2,274Benchmark unavailable$1,286$2,102

Utilities marks a municipality whose revenue and spending include city-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit), which raises its per-resident totals.

Regional hub marks a municipality whose sales tax per resident is at least 1.5× the Colorado median: a shopping or visitor hub where people who live elsewhere pay much of the sales tax.

Trends

Every available fiscal year. Lines break where a year is missing or withheld; nothing is interpolated.

  • This city
  • Peer median
  • Withheld (shown on the axis, no value)
  • Colorado median (Census of Governments years only)
Revenue per resident
FY2016 $13,061 to FY2023 $28,149. 1 year withheld.$0$14.1K$28.1K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $2,608Peer median FY2017: $3,579Peer median FY2018: $3,963Peer median FY2019: $9,560Peer median FY2020: $6,859Peer median FY2022: $4,521Peer median FY2023: $4,833Colorado median FY2016: $1,746 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,476 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $13,061FY2017: $12,936FY2018: $10,689FY2019: $15,389FY2020: $18,874FY2022: $23,268FY2023: $28,149FY2021: withheld — Revenue per resident is 7.8x the peer median

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

  • FY2021 withheld: Revenue per resident is 7.8x the peer median

Peer group changed in FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, FY2021, FY2022, FY2023. Peers are matched each year, so the peer median can step when the group changes.

Show data table
Revenue per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016$13,061$2,608$1,746 (224 reporting)
FY2017$12,936$3,579$2,694 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$10,689$3,963$2,529 (75 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$15,389$9,560$2,694 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$18,874$6,859$2,739 (76 reporting, sample year)
FY2021Withheld (Revenue per resident is 7.8x the peer median)Benchmark unavailable$2,476 (227 reporting)
FY2022$23,268$4,521$3,031 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$28,149$4,833$3,580 (97 reporting, sample year)
Expenditures per resident
FY2017 $13,061 to FY2023 $20,953. 1 year withheld.$0$10.5K$21K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2017: $3,846Peer median FY2018: $2,616Peer median FY2019: $8,041Peer median FY2020: $5,055Peer median FY2021: $2,274Peer median FY2022: $4,222Peer median FY2023: $4,222Colorado median FY2016: $1,749 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,208 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2017: $13,061FY2018: $10,421FY2019: $14,290FY2020: $17,630FY2021: $13,516FY2022: $19,243. Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.FY2023: $20,953. Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.FY2016: withheld — Expenditures per resident is 6.0x the peer median

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Census definition change: Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.

  • FY2016 withheld: Expenditures per resident is 6.0x the peer median

Peer group changed in FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, FY2021, FY2022, FY2023, the same year as the census definition change. Peers are matched each year, so the peer median can step when the group changes.

Show data table
Expenditures per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016Withheld (Expenditures per resident is 6.0x the peer median)Benchmark unavailable$1,749 (196 reporting)
FY2017$13,061$3,846$2,663 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$10,421$2,616$2,387 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$14,290$8,041$2,759 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$17,630$5,055$2,485 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$13,516$2,274$2,208 (220 reporting)
FY2022$19,243$4,222$3,025 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$20,953$4,222$3,680 (91 reporting, sample year)
Tax revenue per resident
FY2016 $7,256 to FY2022 $11,128. 2 years withheld.$0$5.6K$11.1K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $1,221Peer median FY2017: $1,808Peer median FY2018: $1,213Peer median FY2019: $3,409Peer median FY2020: $3,727Peer median FY2022: $2,006Colorado median FY2016: $705 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,072 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $7,256FY2017: $7,497FY2018: $3,792FY2019: $6,249FY2020: $10,268FY2022: $11,128FY2021: withheld — Tax revenue per resident is 8.3x the peer medianFY2023: withheld — Tax revenue per resident is 6.2x the peer median

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

  • FY2021 withheld: Tax revenue per resident is 8.3x the peer median
  • FY2023 withheld: Tax revenue per resident is 6.2x the peer median

Peer group changed in FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, FY2021, FY2022, FY2023. Peers are matched each year, so the peer median can step when the group changes.

Show data table
Tax revenue per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016$7,256$1,221$705 (193 reporting)
FY2017$7,497$1,808$1,098 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$3,792$1,213$1,173 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$6,249$3,409$1,187 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$10,268$3,727$1,238 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2021Withheld (Tax revenue per resident is 8.3x the peer median)Benchmark unavailable$1,072 (201 reporting)
FY2022$11,128$2,006$1,631 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023Withheld (Tax revenue per resident is 6.2x the peer median)Benchmark unavailable$1,726 (90 reporting, sample year)
Debt per resident
FY2016 $7,026 to FY2023 $10,009.$0$5.1K$10.3K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $930Peer median FY2017: $1,442Peer median FY2018: $2,437Peer median FY2019: $2,257Peer median FY2020: $2,633Peer median FY2021: $2,102Peer median FY2022: $2,345Peer median FY2023: $2,693Colorado median FY2016: $1,072 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,411 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $7,026FY2017: $9,447FY2018: $6,684FY2019: $10,291FY2020: $10,152FY2021: $10,178FY2022: $8,411FY2023: $10,009

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, FY2021, FY2022, FY2023. Peers are matched each year, so the peer median can step when the group changes.

Show data table
Debt per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016$7,026$930$1,072 (220 reporting)
FY2017$9,447$1,442$1,482 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$6,684$2,437$1,644 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$10,291$2,257$1,627 (69 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$10,152$2,633$1,798 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$10,178$2,102$1,411 (199 reporting)
FY2022$8,411$2,345$2,068 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$10,009$2,693$2,130 (91 reporting, sample year)

Questions about Aspen’s finances

How does Aspen's spending per resident compare with similar cities?
Aspen spent $13,516 per resident in FY2021, 5.9× the median of its peers: Eagle, Avon, Carbondale, Gypsum and Salida. See the figure
How much debt does Aspen have per resident?
Aspen carried $10,178 of debt per resident in FY2021, 4.8× its peers' median. See the figure
Which cities is Aspen compared with?
Aspen is compared with Eagle, Avon, Carbondale, Gypsum and Salida: the Colorado municipalities nearest to it on population, median household income and region. Budget size isn't used, so peers aren't chosen on the figures being compared. See the peer table
Where do these numbers come from?
From the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, as each government reported its own fiscal year, divided by Census population estimates. Figures that fail quality checks are withheld rather than shown. Sources and methodology

Community context

American Community Survey 5-year estimates and Census population estimates. Where the selected year isn’t available, the nearest earlier year is shown and labeled.

Population growth (5-yr)
−2.2%/yr
2021 estimate
Median household income
$89.6K
2021 estimate
Poverty rate
3.1%
2021 estimate
Median home value
$558K
2020 estimate · nearest year to FY2021
Housing vacancy rate
44.2%
2021 estimate

Explore further

Also in Central Mountains & Resort

Revenue per resident, latest published year.

Sources

Dataset: Aspen, CO municipal finance benchmarks

Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab). Please credit “Source: Orivian Municipal Index, orivian.ai/benchmarks”. See the data use terms.

Notes: dollars are nominal (not inflation-adjusted). Colorado medians cover the municipalities reporting that year. Peers: nearest on population, income and region. Definitions: orivian.ai/benchmarks/methodology.Retrieved October 12, 2026 from orivian.ai/benchmarks.

Every figure on this page is read from the published index; nothing is recalculated for display. Read the methodology

General government is Aspen’s largest difference from its peers (10.3× the peer median in FY2021). See how that line moves month to month in your own budget-vs-actual.

Orivian applies the same sourced, governed approach to your city's own budget-vs-actual data.

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