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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Burlington, NC

Population: 56,951 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
55/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$947.0M
Per Capita
$16,628
Total Revenue
$337.0M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Utilities
31.6%$299.5M
Housing & Community Development
25.1%$238.0M
Other
21.7%$205.1M
Parks & Recreation
8.5%$80.3M
Highways & Roads
3.6%$33.7M
Hospitals
3.1%$29.0M
Interest on Debt
2.0%$18.9M
Public Welfare
1.7%$16.0M
Education
1.6%$14.9M
Fire Protection
1.1%$10.1M
Health
0.2%$1.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
6.2%$20.9M
Income Tax
9.8%$33.2M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$337.0M
Charges & Fees
109.3%$368.5M
Other
5.3%$17.8M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$177/person
Highways & Roads$592/person
Parks & Recreation$1,410/person
Education$261/person
Health$27/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)15/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)72/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Burlington stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Burlington With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, NC spends $16,628 per resident, based on total expenditures of $947.0M for a population of 56,951. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100).

Burlington, NC has total expenditures of $947.0M and total revenue of $337.0M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Burlington, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Burlington, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of C (55/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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