Updated April 2026 · U.S. Census Bureau, fiscal year 2023
Is Newark, NJ in Financial Trouble?
Not yet, but Newark, NJ bears watching. Its C grade (54/100) is a middle-of-the-pack reading: the city is meeting today's obligations, but at least one structural factor, debt, pension funding, or thin reserves, is flashing a caution signal that could tighten budgets over the next two to three years.
Newark, NJ Budget Snapshot
| Total Spending | $6.2B |
| Per Capita Spending | $20,014 |
| Total Revenue | $1.5B |
| Total Debt | $72.6M |
| Debt Per Capita | $236 |
| Population | 307,355 |
| Fiscal Health Score | 54/100 (C) |
| Data Year | FY 2023 |
Fiscal Health Score Breakdown
Newark's C grade is the weighted average of six factors, each scored 0–100. Its strongest input is Debt Burden (per capita vs peers) (100/100); its weakest is Revenue Diversity (0/100). The weakest factor is where budget pressure is most likely to surface first.
What Does the C Grade Mean?
Newark, NJ earns a C on the CitySpend Fiscal Health Score (54/100). The city is meeting current obligations but is exposed on at least one structural front, debt service, pension funding shortfalls, or thin reserves, that warrants close watching over the next two to three budget cycles.
Debt Burden in Context
Debt-wise, Newark runs below the peer-group median: $236 per resident versus $445 for similar-size cities. Lower debt is generally a positive fiscal signal but can also reflect deferred maintenance if capital needs are not being addressed.
Where the Money Goes
Of the $6.2B that Newark, NJ spent in its most recent reported fiscal year, the largest single line item per resident is Highways & Roads at $578. Fire Protection comes next at $414 per resident. Together those two functions account for the bulk of every-day taxpayer-facing services in the city budget. The remaining categories, parks, health, housing, debt service, and general administration, fill out the picture.
Top Spending Categories (Per Capita)
Where the Money Comes From
Where does the money come from? Property tax provides 1 percent of city revenue, sales tax 0 percent, intergovernmental transfers from federal and state sources 51 percent, and direct charges and user fees 38 percent. The remainder comes from utility revenue, income tax (where applicable), and miscellaneous sources.
How This Score Is Calculated
The CitySpend Fiscal Health Score combines six factors into one composite, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances: budget balance and reserves (25%), debt burden per capita versus peer median (20%), pension funded ratio from the Public Plans Database (20%), spending efficiency (15%), revenue diversity (10%), and three-year trend direction (10%). Best-practice weighting follows guidance from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Read the full methodology.
More about Newark, NJ
Not yet, but Newark, NJ bears watching. Its C grade (54/100) is a middle-of-the-pack reading: the city is meeting today's obligations, but at least one structural factor, debt, pension funding, or thin reserves, is flashing a caution signal that could tighten budgets over the next two to three years.
This answer pulls from the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, the authoritative federal source for U.S. municipal and county government finances. The headline number above is the direct answer; what follows is the additional context most readers need to use the answer for a real decision rather than just a fact lookup.
For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.