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Denver · FY2016 municipal finance benchmarks

Denver County · Denver Metro · home rule city and county · Pop. 740,613 (2025 estimate); FY2016 per-resident figures use 696,273 · Census finance data FY2016–FY2023

You’re viewing FY2016. See the latest view (FY2023). Latest Census Bureau finance data for Denver: 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

FY2016 in brief

Denver collected $5,279 per resident (including city-run utilities), 3.0× the median of the 224 Colorado municipalities reporting that year, 84% above its peers. Tax revenue per resident sits 2.1× its peers, and 2.7× the state median. Debt per resident runs 7.8× peers.

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 1.8× the Colorado median.

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

Compared with

Nearest on population, household income and region

FY2016 headline figures

Revenue per resident (definition)

$5,279
84% above peers
Includes city-owned utilities
Peer median
$2,865
CO median · 224 with a published figure
$1,746
Position
Higher than 94% of the 224 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
Not enough history for a 5-year change
How Colorado compares on revenue per resident

Expenditures per resident (definition)

$4,797
84% above peers
Includes city-owned utilities
Peer median
$2,606
CO median · 196 with a published figure
$1,749
Position
Higher than 91% of the 196 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
Not enough history for a 5-year change

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

$1,917
2.1× peers
Peer median
$902
CO median · 193 with a published figure
$705
Position
Higher than 89% of the 193 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
Not enough history for a 5-year change

Debt per resident (definition)

$8,996
7.8× peers
Peer median
$1,161
CO median · 220 with a published figure
$1,072
Position
Higher than 98% of the 220 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
Not enough history for a 5-year change
How Colorado compares on debt per resident

How this number was calculated

Revenue per resident · $5,279
Reported by the city to the Census Bureau

  1. 1Metric

    $5,279 Total revenue divided by population

    = Total revenue ÷ population

    Full definition: Revenue per resident

  2. 2Inputs

    Total revenue $3.7B ÷ population 696,273 (2016 estimate)

  3. 3Census line items

    • A01 Airport charges
    • A03 Commercial activities (other) charges
    • A50 Housing & community development charges
    • A60 Parking charges
    • A61 Parks & recreation charges
    • A80 Sewer charges
    • A81 Solid waste charges
    • A89 General government (other) charges
    • A91 Water utility charges
    • B01 Federal aid
    • B89 Federal aid
    • C30 State aid
    • C42 State aid
    • C46 State aid
    • C50 State aid
    • C79 State aid
    • C80 State aid
    • C89 State aid
    • D50 Local government aid
    • D89 Local government aid
    • T01 Property tax
    • T09 General sales tax
    • T11 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
    • T15 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
    • T19 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
    • T24 Licenses & permits
    • T28 Licenses & permits
    • T29 Licenses & permits
    • T99 Other taxes
    • U01 Special assessments
    • U11 Sale of property
    • U20 Interest earnings
    • U30 Fines & forfeits
    • U50 Private donations
    • U99 Miscellaneous

  4. 4Source file

What the numbers mean

  • Denver runs city-owned utilities, which add 7.7% 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
  • Debt per resident is 7.8× 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, FY2016. Bars show Denver; the gold tick is the peer median. How categories work

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 1.8× 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 Transportation: $1,256 per resident, 5.6× the peer median. On the revenue side, fees & charges is 8.2× peers.

Money in

Revenue

$5,279
per resident84% above peers
Money in: Denver revenue per resident by category, FY2016, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$2,0568.2×peers $252
$97258% abovepeers $616
$5874.1×peers $143
$4962.6×peers $193
$40931% abovepeers $311
$4012.3×peers $178
$3572.6×peers $138
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 224 reporting

Money out

Spending

$4,797
per resident84% above peers
Money out: Denver spending per resident by category, FY2016, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$1,2565.6×peers $224
$8292.6×peers $317
$71372% abovepeers $415
$64929% abovepeers $503
$5822.7×peers $218
$3725.0×peers $74
$28491.6×peers $3
$11238.3×peers $3
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 196 reporting

Denver 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, FY2016. How peers are chosen

Open in Compare
Denver compared with its peer municipalities, FY2016, per resident
MunicipalityRevenueExpendituresTax revenueSales taxDebt
DenverUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 7.7% of total revenue in FY2016. 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 1.8× the Colorado median.$5,279$4,797$1,917$972$8,996
Colorado SpringsUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 55.0% of total revenue in FY2016. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$2,865$2,606$716$552$5,404
AuroraUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 18.5% of total revenue in FY2016. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$1,677$1,659$852$616$1,736
LakewoodUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 0.5% of total revenue in FY2016. Revenue and spending per resident include them, so cities that run their own utilities read higher than cities that don't.$1,446$1,399$902$568$164
Fort CollinsUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 30.5% of total revenue in FY2016. 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 1.6× the Colorado median.$2,943$3,038$1,082$901$624
BoulderUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 6.2% of total revenue in FY2016. 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.$3,546$3,351$1,903$1,211$1,161
Peer median$2,865$2,606$902$616$1,161

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 $5,279 to FY2023 $8,336.$0$4.2K$8.3K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $2,865Peer median FY2017: $2,981Peer median FY2018: $3,270Peer median FY2019: $2,530Peer median FY2020: $2,940Peer median FY2021: $2,640Peer median FY2022: $3,096Peer median FY2023: $2,756Colorado median FY2016: $1,746 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,476 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $5,279FY2017: $5,566FY2018: $5,749FY2019: $5,369FY2020: $5,828FY2021: $7,097FY2022: $7,377FY2023: $8,336

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2019, FY2020, 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$5,279$2,865$1,746 (224 reporting)
FY2017$5,566$2,981$2,694 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$5,749$3,270$2,529 (75 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$5,369$2,530$2,694 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$5,828$2,940$2,739 (76 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$7,097$2,640$2,476 (227 reporting)
FY2022$7,377$3,096$3,031 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$8,336$2,756$3,580 (97 reporting, sample year)
Expenditures per resident
FY2016 $4,797 to FY2023 $7,695.$0$3.8K$7.7K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $2,606Peer median FY2017: $2,981Peer median FY2018: $3,017Peer median FY2019: $2,312Peer median FY2020: $2,385Peer median FY2021: $2,422Peer median FY2022: $2,716Peer median FY2023: $2,956Colorado median FY2016: $1,749 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,208 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $4,797FY2017: $4,697FY2018: $5,074FY2019: $5,980FY2020: $7,406FY2021: $7,599FY2022: $7,518. Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.FY2023: $7,695. Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.

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.

Peer group changed in FY2019, FY2020, FY2023. 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
FY2016$4,797$2,606$1,749 (196 reporting)
FY2017$4,697$2,981$2,663 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$5,074$3,017$2,387 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$5,980$2,312$2,759 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$7,406$2,385$2,485 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$7,599$2,422$2,208 (220 reporting)
FY2022$7,518$2,716$3,025 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$7,695$2,956$3,680 (91 reporting, sample year)
Tax revenue per resident
FY2016 $1,917 to FY2023 $3,269.$0$1.6K$3.3K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $902Peer median FY2017: $1,101Peer median FY2018: $935Peer median FY2019: $1,003Peer median FY2020: $1,093Peer median FY2021: $1,276Peer median FY2022: $1,382Peer median FY2023: $1,367Colorado median FY2016: $705 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,072 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $1,917FY2017: $2,022FY2018: $2,165FY2019: $2,049FY2020: $2,139FY2021: $2,694FY2022: $2,956FY2023: $3,269

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2019, FY2020, 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$1,917$902$705 (193 reporting)
FY2017$2,022$1,101$1,098 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$2,165$935$1,173 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$2,049$1,003$1,187 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$2,139$1,093$1,238 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$2,694$1,276$1,072 (201 reporting)
FY2022$2,956$1,382$1,631 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$3,269$1,367$1,726 (90 reporting, sample year)
Debt per resident
FY2016 $8,996 to FY2023 $12,402.$0$7.2K$14.4K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $1,161Peer median FY2017: $972Peer median FY2018: $1,736Peer median FY2019: $1,457Peer median FY2020: $1,559Peer median FY2021: $2,145Peer median FY2022: $2,129Peer median FY2023: $1,563Colorado median FY2016: $1,072 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,411 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $8,996FY2017: $8,471FY2018: $11,836FY2019: $11,577FY2020: $11,345FY2021: $12,183FY2022: $14,448FY2023: $12,402

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2019, FY2020, 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$8,996$1,161$1,072 (220 reporting)
FY2017$8,471$972$1,482 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$11,836$1,736$1,644 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$11,577$1,457$1,627 (69 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$11,345$1,559$1,798 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$12,183$2,145$1,411 (199 reporting)
FY2022$14,448$2,129$2,068 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$12,402$1,563$2,130 (91 reporting, sample year)

Questions about Denver’s finances

How much revenue does Denver collect per resident?
Denver collected $5,279 per resident in FY2016, 3.0× the median of the 224 Colorado municipalities reporting that year. See the figure
How does Denver's spending per resident compare with similar cities?
Denver spent $4,797 per resident in FY2016, 84% above the median of its peers: Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood, Fort Collins and Boulder. See the figure
How much debt does Denver have per resident?
Denver carried $8,996 of debt per resident in FY2016, 7.8× its peers' median. See the figure
Which cities is Denver compared with?
Denver is compared with Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood, Fort Collins and Boulder: 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)
+2.3%/yr
2016 estimate
Median household income
Not reported for this year
Poverty rate
Not reported for this year
Median home value
Not reported for this year
Housing vacancy rate
Not reported for this year

Explore further

Also in Denver Metro

Revenue per resident, latest published year.

Sources

Dataset: Denver, 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

Transportation is Denver’s largest difference from its peers (5.6× the peer median in FY2016). 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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