Cheraw · FY2021 municipal finance benchmarks

Name: Cheraw, CO municipal finance benchmarks
Creator: Orivian
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Otero County · Eastern Plains · statutory town · Pop. 223 (2025 estimate); FY2021 per-resident figures use 233 · Census finance data FY2016, FY2021

Latest Census Bureau finance data for Cheraw: FY2021. Retrieved Oct 2026. Newer years are added when the Census Bureau publishes them. Why the lag?

Fiscal yearCompare

FY2021 in brief

Cheraw collected $1,687 per resident (including city-run utilities), 32% below the median of the 227 Colorado municipalities reporting that year, 54% above its peers. Tax revenue per resident sits 10% above its peers, but 90% below the state median.

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

Compared with

Nearest on population, household income and region

Revenue per resident (definition)

$1,687

54% above peers

Includes city-owned utilities

Peer median: $1,098
CO median · 227 with a published figure Median of the 227 Colorado municipalities with FY2021 Census finance data. In FY2016 and FY2021 the Census covers every municipality; in other years it surveys a sample, mostly larger cities.: $2,476
Position: Higher than 27% of the 227 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars: +34.3%/yr

How Colorado compares on revenue per resident

Expenditures per resident (definition)

$1,687

84% above peers

Includes city-owned utilities

Peer median: $915
CO median · 220 with a published figure Median of the 220 Colorado municipalities with FY2021 Census finance data. In FY2016 and FY2021 the Census covers every municipality; in other years it surveys a sample, mostly larger cities.: $2,208
Position: Higher than 35% of the 220 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars: Not enough history for a 5-year change

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

$112

10% above peers

Peer median: $101
CO median · 201 with a published figure Median of the 201 Colorado municipalities with FY2021 Census finance data. In FY2016 and FY2021 the Census covers every municipality; in other years it surveys a sample, mostly larger cities.: $1,072
Position: Higher than 5% of the 201 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars: +16.1%/yr

Debt per resident (definition)

Peer median: Not reported for this year
CO median: Not reported for this year
Position: Not reported for this year
5-year change: Not reported for this year

How Colorado compares on debt per resident

How this number was calculated

Revenue per resident · $1,687

Reported by the city to the Census Bureau

1Metric
$1,687 Total revenue divided by population
= Total revenue ÷ population
Full definition: Revenue per resident
2Inputs
Total revenue $393K ÷ population 233 (2021 estimate)
3Census line items
- A80 Sewer charges
- A81 Solid waste charges
- A91 Water utility charges
- C89 State aid
- D89 Local government aid
- T01 Property tax
- T15 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
- U99 Miscellaneous
4Source file
- Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances 2022 - Individual Unit File
  Value for
  FY2021
  Survey file
  2022
  The 2022 Census survey covers fiscal years ending July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, so a fiscal year ending December 31, 2021 is FY2021.
  Retrieved October 12, 2026 · View source: Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances 2022 - Individual Unit File (opens in a new tab)
- Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 - incorporated places
  Value for
  FY2021
  Source year
  2025
  Retrieved October 7, 2026 · View source: Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 - incorporated places (opens in a new tab)

What the numbers mean

Cheraw runs city-owned utilities, which add 9.7% 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
With about 233 residents, small changes in Cheraw's budget move per-resident figures a lot. Compare several years, not one.

Where the money comes from and where it goes

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

The biggest difference from peers is Utilities & environment: $1,438 per resident, 3.4× the peer median. On the revenue side, intergovernmental is 9.4× peers.

Money in

Revenue

$1,687

per resident54% above peers

Money in: Cheraw revenue per resident by category, FY2021, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
Category	Per resident	Peer median	vs peers	Share of revenue
	$1,026	$109	9.4× peerspeers $109	61%

Local government aid $970 · peers $0 State aid $56 · peers $46 Grants and shared revenue from federal, state and local governments. Census line items C89 State aid D89 Local government aid
	$382	$334	14% above peerspeers $334	23%

Solid waste charges $253 · peers $0 Sewer charges $129 · peers $216 Charges for services such as sewer, trash, recreation, parking and airports. Census line items A80 Sewer charges A81 Solid waste charges
	$163	$421	61% below peerspeers $421	10%

Water utility charges $163 · peers $421 Revenue of city-owned water, electric, gas and transit systems. Census line items A91 Water utility charges
	$73	$78	7% below peerspeers $78	4%

Property tax $73 · peers $78 Property tax levied by the municipality. Census line items T01 Property tax
	$39	$26	50% above peerspeers $26	2%

Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.) $39 · peers $20 Lodging, utility, tobacco and other selective sales taxes, licenses and permits, and other taxes. Census line items T15 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
	$4	$29	85% below peerspeers $29	<1%

Miscellaneous $4 · peers $0 Interest earnings, fines, rents, special assessments, donations and sales of property. Census line items U99 Miscellaneous

Peer median of 4 peers · Colorado median of 227 reporting

Money out

Spending

$1,687

per resident84% above peers

Money out: Cheraw spending per resident by category, FY2021, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
Category	Per resident	Peer median	vs peers	Share of spending
	$1,438	$422	3.4× peerspeers $422	85%

Water utility $974 · peers $257 Solid waste $326 · peers $76 Sewer $112 · peers $118 Gas utility $26 · peers $0 Water, sewer, solid waste, electric and gas utilities, and natural resources. Census line items E80 Sewer E81 Solid waste E91 Water utility E93 Gas utility
	$129	$267	52% below peerspeers $267	8%

Central staff services $56 · peers $136 General government (other) $52 · peers $13 General public buildings $21 · peers $0 Administration, finance, legal and courts, public buildings and other general government. Census line items E29 Central staff services E31 General public buildings E89 General government (other)
	$116	$39	2.9× peerspeers $39	7%

Fire protection $116 · peers $0 Police, fire protection, inspection and corrections. Census line items E24 Fire protection
	$4	$47	91% below peerspeers $47	<1%

Streets & highways $4 · peers $47 Streets and highways, transit, parking and airports. Census line items E44 Streets & highways
None reported · peers $21	$0	$21	None reported	0%

Cheraw reported nothing in this category for FY2021. Parks and recreation, libraries, housing and community development.
None reported · peers $19	$0	$19	None reported	0%

Cheraw reported nothing in this category for FY2021. Interest paid on the municipality's debt.

Peer median of 4 peers · Colorado median of 220 reporting

Cheraw 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

Cheraw compared with its peer municipalities, FY2021, per resident
Municipality	Revenue	Expenditures	Tax revenue	Sales tax	Debt
CherawUtilities: 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.	$1,687	$1,687	$112	Not reported for this year	Not reported for this year
IliffUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 36.1% 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.	$837	Withheld Iliff · Expenditures per resident · FY2021 Reason: Expenditures per resident is 31% of this city's typical level in other years We don't publish figures that fail our quality checks until they're verified against the city's audited financial report.	$78	Not reported for this year	Not reported for this year
Kit CarsonUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 52.0% 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.	$1,091	$461	Withheld Kit Carson · Tax revenue per resident · FY2021 Reason: Tax revenue per resident is 3.3x the peer median We don't publish figures that fail our quality checks until they're verified against the city's audited financial report.	$217	Not reported for this year
MerinoUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 35.0% 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.	$1,106	$951	$176	Not reported for this year	$894
HillroseUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 39.0% 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.	$1,163	$879	$101	Not reported for this year	$1,569
Peer median	$1,098	$915	$101	Not reported for this year	Not reported for this year

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

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

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2021. Peers are matched each year, so the peer median can step when the group changes.

Show data table

Revenue per resident by fiscal year
Year	This city	Peer median	Colorado median
FY2016	$386	$956	$1,746 (224 reporting)
FY2021	$1,687	$1,098	$2,476 (227 reporting)

Expenditures per resident

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

FY2016 withheld: Expenditures per resident is 24% of the peer median

Show data table

Expenditures per resident by fiscal year
Year	This city	Peer median	Colorado median
FY2016	Withheld (Expenditures per resident is 24% of the peer median)	Benchmark unavailable	$1,749 (196 reporting)
FY2021	$1,687	$915	$2,208 (220 reporting)

Tax revenue per resident

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2021. 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
Year	This city	Peer median	Colorado median
FY2016	$53	$106	$705 (193 reporting)
FY2021	$112	$101	$1,072 (201 reporting)

Questions about Cheraw’s finances

How much revenue does Cheraw collect per resident?: Cheraw collected $1,687 per resident in FY2021, 32% below the median of the 227 Colorado municipalities reporting that year. See the figure
How does Cheraw's spending per resident compare with similar cities?: Cheraw spent $1,687 per resident in FY2021, 84% above the median of its peers: Iliff, Kit Carson, Merino and Hillrose. See the figure
Which cities is Cheraw compared with?: Cheraw is compared with Iliff, Kit Carson, Merino and Hillrose: 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): −1.1%/yr; 2021 estimate
Median household income: $47.5K; 2021 estimate
Poverty rate: 10.8%; 2021 estimate
Median home value: $106.3K; 2021 estimate
Housing vacancy rate: 10.3%; 2021 estimate

Explore further

Also in Eastern Plains

Eckley$2,745 · FY2023
Sugar City$935 · FY2016
Arriba$1,182 · FY2021
Peetz$646 · FY2016
Iliff$941 · FY2023
Kit Carson$1,091 · FY2021
Bethune$1,168 · FY2021
Ovid$1,447 · FY2021

Revenue per resident, latest published year.

Sources

American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2017-2021 · 2021
U.S. Census Bureau
Retrieved October 7, 2026View source: American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2017-2021 (opens in a new tab)
Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances 2022 - Individual Unit File · 2022 survey file
U.S. Census Bureau
Retrieved October 12, 2026View source: Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances 2022 - Individual Unit File (opens in a new tab)
Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 - incorporated places · 2025
U.S. Census Bureau
Retrieved October 7, 2026View source: Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 - incorporated places (opens in a new tab)

Dataset: Cheraw, 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

Utilities & environment is Cheraw’s largest difference from its peers (3.4× 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.

See how it works Talk to us

Cheraw · FY2021 municipal finance benchmarks

FY2021 in brief

FY2021 headline figures

Revenue per resident (definition)

Expenditures per resident (definition)

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

Debt per resident (definition)

How this number was calculated

What the numbers mean

Where the money comes from and where it goes

Money in

Money out

Cheraw and its peers

Trends

Questions about Cheraw’s finances

Community context

Explore further

Also in Eastern Plains

Sources

Utilities & environment is Cheraw’s largest difference from its peers (3.4× the peer median in FY2021). See how that line moves month to month in your own budget-vs-actual.