For 2025:
Austin: $525,190,972
https://budget.austintexas.gov/#!/year/2025/operating/0/fund...
West Midlands: £842,588,000 ($1,144,307,581)
https://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/... (page 17)
Based on population that is $528 per resident in Austin and $387 per resident in the West Midlands. I can assure you that crime is way more than 36% higher in Austin. Income is approximately double in Austin, though.
Austin has spectacular reporting on their spending. As far as I can tell West Midlands does not. They just have broad categories (not defined in the budget document) like "Local Policing", "Major Crime", and "Security" among others. There may be other resources but (shrugging guy emoji).
A huge part of Austin's budget is.. drumroll... Healthcare!
> I can assure you that crime is way more than 36% higher in Austin.
Do you have any guesses on why that is?
>A huge part of Austin's budget is.. drumroll... Healthcare!
Wow, that's actually not surprising at all.
>Do you have any guesses on why that is?
Mainly income inequality coupled with a severe lack of a social safety net. Contributing factors are guns and practically non-existent mental health care for the poor.