Prairie State Wire

Chicago ranked 141st among the 150 largest U.S. cities in a ranking by the personal finance website WalletHub that examines the quality of municipal services as well as whether residents are getting the most bang for their tax bucks. 

Illinois’ largest city received a score of 41.83 on its quality of public services in the study, with 100 representing the highest possible score, WalletHub reported. In the category of “Total Budget per Capita,” Chicago came in 136th, the study found.

The WalletHub analysis aimed to rank the effectiveness of local leaders based on how well city officials managed and spent public revenues in recent years. The study reviewed 38 metrics across six categories: fiscal stability, public education, health care, public safety, the economy, and infrastructure and pollution.

The one area that Chicago did relatively well in was infrastructure and pollution. The city finished 24th among the ranked cities in that category. 

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Efficiency Ranking for 150 Largest Cities, From Best to Worst

Overall Rank (1=Best)	City	‘Quality of City Services’ Rank	‘Total Budget per Capita’ Rank
1	Nampa, ID	23	1
2	Boise, ID	4	3
3	Fort Wayne, IN	63	2
4	Nashua, NH	5	9
5	Lexington-Fayette, KY	44	6
6	Lincoln, NE	8	19
7	Durham, NC	25	11
8	Rapid City, SD	81	4
9	Las Cruces, NM	65	5
10	Virginia Beach, VA	2	36
11	Raleigh, NC	11	29
12	Missoula, MT	67	12
13	Oklahoma City, OK	88	8
14	Manchester, NH	29	20
15	Provo, UT	3	38
16	Sioux Falls, SD	31	21
17	Billings, MT	86	13
18	Madison, WI	6	42
19	Chesapeake, VA	17	34
20	Huntington Beach, CA	1	55
21	Louisville, KY	80	17
22	Greensboro, NC	57	23
23	Arlington, TX	28	31
24	Salem, OR	54	26
25	Mesa, AZ	58	25
26	Bismarck, ND	12	48
27	Charleston, SC	15	44
28	Columbus, GA	95	16
29	Cedar Rapids, IA	34	39
30	Warwick, RI	26	43
31	Albuquerque, NM	127	10
32	Tucson, AZ	111	14
33	Warren, MI	74	28
34	Huntington, WV	114	15
35	Aurora, IL	51	37
36	Phoenix, AZ	65	35
37	Grand Rapids, MI	33	47
38	Lewiston, ME	85	30
39	Tulsa, OK	110	22
40	Topeka, KS	76	40
41	Reno, NV	43	49
42	Worcester, MA	48	52
43	St. Petersburg, FL	42	54
44	Mobile, AL	96	32
45	Fort Worth, TX	56	53
46	El Paso, TX	64	50
47	Wichita, KS	124	24
48	Portland, ME	21	69
49	Corpus Christi, TX	99	41
50	Colorado Springs, CO	78	51
51	Baton Rouge, LA	129	27
52	Las Vegas, NV	49	61
53	Aurora, CO	79	56
54	Gary, IN	141	18
55	Fairbanks, AK	102	45
56	Des Moines, IA	53	62
57	Eugene, OR	38	71
58	Fort Smith, AR	123	33
59	Rutland, VT	59	67
60	Fargo, ND	35	79
61	Spokane, WA	60	68
62	San Diego, CA	7	97
63	Santa Ana, CA	39	81
64	Jackson, MS	148	7
65	Omaha, NE	27	86
66	Little Rock, AR	122	46
67	Hialeah, FL	55	78
68	Indianapolis, IN	93	60
69	Portland, OR	19	95
70	Boston, MA	14	100
71	Akron, OH	97	65
72	Montgomery, AL	119	58
73	Garland, TX	52	89
74	Salt Lake City, UT	16	106
75	Anchorage, AK	83	82
76	Tallahassee, FL	73	85
77	Fremont, CA	13	113
78	Houston, TX	100	73
79	Jacksonville, FL	109	70
80	Frederick, MD	22	108
81	Dayton, OH	101	74
82	Austin, TX	10	117
83	Columbia, SC	103	76
84	Dover, DE	120	64
85	Springfield, MA	121	63
86	Miami, FL	50	96
87	Casper, WY	104	80
88	Tampa, FL	40	101
89	Providence, RI	116	72
90	San Antonio, TX	47	103
91	St. Paul, MN	45	104
92	Columbus, OH	82	92
93	New Orleans, LA	136	57
94	San Jose, CA	20	121
95	Dallas, TX	89	93
96	Burlington, VT	32	114
97	Norfolk, VA	107	88
98	Charleston, WV	128	77
99	Bridgeport, CT	117	83
100	Richmond, VA	87	98
101	Kansas City, MO	112	91
102	Anaheim, CA	69	111
103	Cincinnati, OH	72	112
104	Fort Lauderdale, FL	41	120
105	Charlotte, NC	24	126
106	Toledo, OH	142	66
107	Orlando, FL	61	118
108	Bakersfield, CA	130	86
109	Shreveport, LA	147	59
110	Milwaukee, WI	126	90
111	Nashville, TN	105	105
112	Lubbock, TX	118	101
113	Knoxville, TN	46	130
114	Seattle, WA	9	140
115	Minneapolis, MN	37	133
116	Modesto, CA	108	109
117	Stockton, CA	145	75
118	Birmingham, AL	132	94
119	Syracuse, NY	84	123
120	Sacramento, CA	92	122
121	Pittsburgh, PA	68	129
122	Buffalo, NY	91	125
123	Riverside, CA	90	127
124	Atlanta, GA	77	132
125	Wilmington, DE	113	119
126	Fresno, CA	133	107
127	Long Beach, CA	62	139
128	Baltimore, MD	135	110
129	Cheyenne, WY	98	135
130	Denver, CO	71	141
131	Kansas City, KS	138	116
132	St. Louis, MO	149	84
133	Memphis, TN	143	115
134	Los Angeles, CA	75	143
135	New Haven, CT	137	124
136	Yonkers, NY	70	144
137	Philadelphia, PA	134	128
138	Rochester, NY	115	138
139	Tacoma, WA	106	142
140	Hartford, CT	144	131
141	Chicago, IL	140	136
142	Cleveland, OH	139	137
143	Flint, MI	146	134
144	Oakland, CA	94	147
145	Detroit, MI	150	99
146	Gulfport, MS	125	145
147	Chattanooga, TN	131	146
148	New York, NY	36	148
149	San Francisco, CA	18	149
150	Washington, DC	30	150

Source: WalletHub.com