Orivian

Aspen · FY2023 municipal finance benchmarks

Pitkin County · Central Mountains & Resort · home rule municipality · Pop. 6,489 (2025 estimate); FY2023 per-resident figures use 6,639 · Census finance data FY2016–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

FY2023 in brief

Aspen collected $28,149 per resident (including city-run utilities), 7.9× the median of the 97 Colorado municipalities reporting that year, 5.8× its peers. Debt per resident runs 3.7× peers.

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 3.8× the Colorado median.

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

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

Compared with

Nearest on population, household income and region

FY2023 headline figures

Revenue per resident (definition)

$28,149
5.8× peers
Includes city-owned utilities
Peer median
$4,833
CO median · 97 with a published figure
$3,580
Position
Higher than 98% of the 97 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+21.4%/yr
How Colorado compares on revenue per resident

Expenditures per resident (definition)

$20,953
5.0× peers
Includes city-owned utilities
Peer median
$4,222
CO median · 91 with a published figure
$3,680
Position
Higher than 96% of the 91 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+15.0%/yr

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

Peer median
Benchmark unavailable
CO median · 90 with a published figure
$1,726
Position
Not reported for this year
5-year changenominal dollars
Withheld with this year's value

Debt per resident (definition)

$10,009
3.7× peers
Peer median
$2,693
CO median · 91 with a published figure
$2,130
Position
Higher than 90% of the 91 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+8.4%/yr
How Colorado compares on debt per resident

How this number was calculated

Revenue per resident · $28,149
Reported by the city to the Census Bureau

  1. 1Metric

    $28,149 Total revenue divided by population

    = Total revenue ÷ population

    Full definition: Revenue per resident

  2. 2Inputs

    Total revenue $186.9M ÷ population 6,639 (2023 estimate)

  3. 3Census line items

    • A50 Housing & community development charges
    • A60 Parking charges
    • A61 Parks & recreation charges
    • A89 General government (other) 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
    • U20 Interest earnings
    • U30 Fines & forfeits
    • U40 Rents
    • U50 Private donations
    • U99 Miscellaneous

  4. 4Source file

What the numbers mean

  • Aspen runs city-owned utilities, which add 13.2% of its revenue. Cities that don't run utilities will look lower on revenue and spending per resident for that reason alone. What counts as utility revenue
  • Debt per resident is 3.7× 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, FY2023. Bars show Aspen; the gold tick is the peer median. How categories work

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 3.8× 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: $7,109 per resident, 7.1× the peer median. On the revenue side, other revenue is 14.8× peers.

Money in

Revenue

$28,149
per resident5.8× peers
Money in: Aspen revenue per resident by category, FY2023, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$7,13714.8×peers $482
$3,7055.6×peers $663
$3,1614.7×peers $674
$2,7873.4×peers $816
Withheldpeers $1,610
Withheldpeers $500
Withheldpeers $54
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 97 reporting

Money out

Spending

$20,953
per resident5.0× peers
Money out: Aspen spending per resident by category, FY2023, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$7,1097.1×peers $1,001
$6,6759.8×peers $678
$2,8152.6×peers $1,064
$2,1495.0×peers $426
$1,06598% abovepeers $537
$714No peer comparisonpeers $0
$4246.0×peers $71
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 91 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, FY2023. How peers are chosen

Open in Compare
Aspen compared with its peer municipalities, FY2023, per resident
MunicipalityRevenueExpendituresTax revenueSales taxDebt
AspenUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 13.2% of total revenue in FY2023. 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 3.8× the Colorado median.$28,149$20,953$4,438$10,009
AvonUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 0.4% of total revenue in FY2023. 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.$7,045$2,943$4,982$2,186$2,830
SalidaUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 9.5% of total revenue in FY2023. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$3,661$4,222$1,788$1,610$2,556
GunnisonUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 32.3% of total revenue in FY2023. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$4,833$4,441$1,834$1,341$2,017
EagleUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 19.6% of total revenue in FY2023. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$4,540$2,926$1,814$1,260$3,214
SilverthorneUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 7.7% of total revenue in FY2023. 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 2.9× the Colorado median.$8,639$12,413$4,551$3,363Not reported for this year
Peer median$4,833$4,222Benchmark unavailable$1,610$2,693

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 much revenue does Aspen collect per resident?
Aspen collected $28,149 per resident in FY2023, 7.9× the median of the 97 Colorado municipalities reporting that year. See the figure
How does Aspen's spending per resident compare with similar cities?
Aspen spent $20,953 per resident in FY2023, 5.0× the median of its peers: Avon, Salida, Gunnison, Eagle and Silverthorne. See the figure
How much debt does Aspen have per resident?
Aspen carried $10,009 of debt per resident in FY2023, 3.7× its peers' median. See the figure
Which cities is Aspen compared with?
Aspen is compared with Avon, Salida, Gunnison, Eagle and Silverthorne: 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)
−3.1%/yr
2023 estimate
Median household income
$78.6K
2023 estimate
Poverty rate
11.8%
2023 estimate
Median home value
$1.4M
2023 estimate
Housing vacancy rate
33.2%
2023 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 (7.1× the peer median in FY2023). 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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