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Steamboat Springs · FY2023 municipal finance benchmarks

Routt County · Central Mountains & Resort · home rule municipality · Pop. 13,557 (2025 estimate); FY2023 per-resident figures use 13,631 · Census finance data FY2016–FY2023

Latest Census Bureau finance data for Steamboat Springs: 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

Steamboat Springs collected $8,437 per resident, 2.4× the median of the 97 Colorado municipalities reporting that year, 46% above its peers. Tax revenue per resident sits 2.6× its peers, and 3.3× the state median. Debt per resident runs 24% below peers.

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 3.0× the Colorado 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)

$8,437
46% above peers
Peer median
$5,785
CO median · 97 with a published figure
$3,580
Position
Higher than 83% of the 97 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+11.6%/yr
How Colorado compares on revenue per resident

Expenditures per resident (definition)

$5,902
11% above peers
Peer median
$5,312
CO median · 91 with a published figure
$3,680
Position
Higher than 76% of the 91 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+5.4%/yr

Tax revenue per resident (definition)

$5,636
2.6× peers
Peer median
$2,175
CO median · 90 with a published figure
$1,726
Position
Higher than 87% of the 90 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
+12.0%/yr

Debt per resident (definition)

$2,128
24% below peers
Peer median
$2,810
CO median · 91 with a published figure
$2,130
Position
Higher than 49% of the 91 reporting
5-year changenominal dollars
−8.9%/yr
How Colorado compares on debt per resident

How this number was calculated

Revenue per resident · $8,437
Reported by the city to the Census Bureau

  1. 1Metric

    $8,437 Total revenue divided by population

    = Total revenue ÷ population

    Full definition: Revenue per resident

  2. 2Inputs

    Total revenue $115M ÷ population 13,631 (2023 estimate)

  3. 3Census line items

    • A01 Airport charges
    • A50 Housing & community development charges
    • A61 Parks & recreation charges
    • A89 General government (other) charges
    • C89 State aid
    • T01 Property tax
    • T09 General sales tax
    • T19 Selective sales taxes (lodging, utilities, etc.)
    • 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

No structural factors stand out in the data. The peer comparison below is a fair starting point.

Where the money comes from and where it goes

Per resident, FY2023. Bars show Steamboat Springs; the gold tick is the peer median. How categories work

Regional hub: sales tax per resident is 3.0× 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: $3,109 per resident, 2.0× the peer median. On the revenue side, sales tax is 98% above peers.

Money in

Revenue

$8,437
per resident46% above peers
Money in: Steamboat Springs revenue per resident by category, FY2023, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$3,47798% abovepeers $1,755
$1,8044.9×peers $368
$1,0852.2×peers $492
$1,06452% abovepeers $702
$65241% belowpeers $1,099
$3542.8×peers $126
None reported · peers $889$0None reported
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 97 reporting

Money out

Spending

$5,902
per resident11% above peers
Money out: Steamboat Springs spending per resident by category, FY2023, against the peer median. Open a category for its lines and Census item codes.
CategoryPer residentvs peers
$3,1092.0×peers $1,523
$94117% abovepeers $801
$91445% abovepeers $632
$8939% abovepeers $819
$4563% belowpeers $123
None reported · peers $937$0None reported
Peer median of 5 peers · Colorado median of 91 reporting

Steamboat Springs 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
Steamboat Springs compared with its peer municipalities, FY2023, per resident
MunicipalityRevenueExpendituresTax revenueSales taxDebt
Steamboat SpringsRegional hub: Sales tax per resident is 3.0× the Colorado median.$8,437$5,902$5,636$3,477$2,128
Glenwood SpringsUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 24.4% 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 2.5× the Colorado median.$8,323$8,073$3,584$2,875$1,712
RifleUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 18.4% 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.$3,545$2,589$1,676$1,485$2,552
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
DurangoUtilities: City-owned utilities (water, electric, gas, transit) brought in 5.5% 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.Regional hub: Sales tax per resident is 1.8× the Colorado median.$5,785$5,312$2,535$2,026$2,810
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
Peer median$5,785$5,312$2,175$2,026$2,810

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 $4,451 to FY2023 $8,437.$0$4.2K$8.4K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $3,536Peer median FY2017: $3,579Peer median FY2018: $3,714Peer median FY2019: $4,129Peer median FY2020: $2,146Peer median FY2021: $2,512Peer median FY2022: $2,927Peer median FY2023: $5,785Colorado median FY2016: $1,746 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,476 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $4,451FY2017: $4,476FY2018: $4,867FY2019: $5,109FY2020: $5,229FY2021: $5,682FY2022: $6,054FY2023: $8,437

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
Revenue per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016$4,451$3,536$1,746 (224 reporting)
FY2017$4,476$3,579$2,694 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$4,867$3,714$2,529 (75 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$5,109$4,129$2,694 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$5,229$2,146$2,739 (76 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$5,682$2,512$2,476 (227 reporting)
FY2022$6,054$2,927$3,031 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$8,437$5,785$3,580 (97 reporting, sample year)
Expenditures per resident
FY2016 $3,765 to FY2023 $5,902.$0$3.4K$6.7K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $3,107Peer median FY2017: $3,846Peer median FY2018: $3,098Peer median FY2019: $3,937Peer median FY2020: $1,927Peer median FY2021: $2,460Peer median FY2022: $3,227Peer median FY2023: $5,312Colorado median FY2016: $1,749 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $2,208 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $3,765FY2017: $4,532FY2018: $4,533FY2019: $4,977FY2020: $5,002FY2021: $5,324FY2022: $6,716. Excludes equipment purchases and payments to other governments, which Census stopped reporting after FY2021.FY2023: $5,902. 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 FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, 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
FY2016$3,765$3,107$1,749 (196 reporting)
FY2017$4,532$3,846$2,663 (35 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$4,533$3,098$2,387 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$4,977$3,937$2,759 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$5,002$1,927$2,485 (74 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$5,324$2,460$2,208 (220 reporting)
FY2022$6,716$3,227$3,025 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$5,902$5,312$3,680 (91 reporting, sample year)
Tax revenue per resident
FY2016 $2,631 to FY2023 $5,636.$0$2.8K$5.6K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $1,995Peer median FY2017: $1,808Peer median FY2018: $1,647Peer median FY2019: $1,251Peer median FY2020: $1,239Peer median FY2021: $1,343Peer median FY2022: $1,634Peer median FY2023: $2,175Colorado median FY2016: $705 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,072 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $2,631FY2017: $2,918FY2018: $3,203FY2019: $3,409FY2020: $3,579FY2021: $4,019FY2022: $4,262FY2023: $5,636

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
Tax revenue per resident by fiscal year
YearThis cityPeer medianColorado median
FY2016$2,631$1,995$705 (193 reporting)
FY2017$2,918$1,808$1,098 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$3,203$1,647$1,173 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$3,409$1,251$1,187 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$3,579$1,239$1,238 (72 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$4,019$1,343$1,072 (201 reporting)
FY2022$4,262$1,634$1,631 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$5,636$2,175$1,726 (90 reporting, sample year)
Debt per resident
FY2016 $3,890 to FY2023 $2,128.$0$1.9K$3.9K’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23Peer median FY2016: $3,224Peer median FY2017: $1,442Peer median FY2018: $3,669Peer median FY2019: $3,062Peer median FY2020: $2,629Peer median FY2021: $1,895Peer median FY2022: $2,821Peer median FY2023: $2,810Colorado median FY2016: $1,072 (all 224 municipalities reporting)Colorado median FY2021: $1,411 (all 227 municipalities reporting)FY2016: $3,890FY2017: $3,703FY2018: $3,398FY2019: $3,121FY2020: $2,846FY2021: $2,550FY2022: $2,283FY2023: $2,128

Fiscal year · nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Peer group changed in FY2017, FY2018, FY2019, FY2020, 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$3,890$3,224$1,072 (220 reporting)
FY2017$3,703$1,442$1,482 (34 reporting, sample year)
FY2018$3,398$3,669$1,644 (70 reporting, sample year)
FY2019$3,121$3,062$1,627 (69 reporting, sample year)
FY2020$2,846$2,629$1,798 (71 reporting, sample year)
FY2021$2,550$1,895$1,411 (199 reporting)
FY2022$2,283$2,821$2,068 (73 reporting, sample year)
FY2023$2,128$2,810$2,130 (91 reporting, sample year)

Questions about Steamboat Springs’s finances

How much revenue does Steamboat Springs collect per resident?
Steamboat Springs collected $8,437 per resident in FY2023, 2.4× the median of the 97 Colorado municipalities reporting that year. See the figure
How does Steamboat Springs's spending per resident compare with similar cities?
Steamboat Springs spent $5,902 per resident in FY2023, 11% above the median of its peers: Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Eagle, Durango and Aspen. See the figure
How much debt does Steamboat Springs have per resident?
Steamboat Springs carried $2,128 of debt per resident in FY2023, 24% below its peers' median. See the figure
Which cities is Steamboat Springs compared with?
Steamboat Springs is compared with Glenwood Springs, Rifle, Eagle, Durango and Aspen: 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)
+0.7%/yr
2023 estimate
Median household income
$100.2K
2023 estimate
Poverty rate
6.7%
2023 estimate
Median home value
$874.4K
2023 estimate
Housing vacancy rate
43.5%
2023 estimate

Explore further

Also in Central Mountains & Resort

Revenue per resident, latest published year.

Sources

Dataset: Steamboat Springs, 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 Steamboat Springs’s largest difference from its peers (2.0× the peer median in FY2023). See how that line moves month to month in your own budget-vs-actual.

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