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

Camden, NJ

Population: 71,799 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
44/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$4.0B
Per Capita
$55,742
Total Revenue
$735.2M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
49.7%$2.0B
Education
16.9%$675.4M
Police
10.4%$416.2M
Housing & Community Development
8.4%$337.4M
Utilities
7.5%$301.4M
Health
2.4%$95.4M
Public Welfare
1.8%$72.6M
Fire Protection
1.5%$60.3M
Parks & Recreation
1.0%$40.9M
Highways & Roads
0.3%$11.1M
General Administration
0.1%$2.3M

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

Property Tax
0.7%$5.0M
Sales Tax
0.9%$6.5M
Income Tax
10.2%$74.7M
Intergovernmental
98.4%$723.4M
Other
20.8%$153.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$5,797/person
Fire Protection$840/person
Highways & Roads$155/person
Parks & Recreation$570/person
Education$9,407/person
Health$1,329/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)14/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Camden stacks up against another city.

vs Newark, NJvs Jersey City, NJvs Paterson, NJ
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in New Jersey

Newark, NJ

Pop. 307K

C
Total Spending
$6.2B
Per Capita
$20,014

Jersey City, NJ

Pop. 288K

B
Total Spending
$6.1B
Per Capita
$21,136

Paterson, NJ

Pop. 158K

C
Total Spending
$2.5B
Per Capita
$16,110

Elizabeth, NJ

Pop. 136K

C
Total Spending
$2.9B
Per Capita
$21,067

Compare Camden With

Newark, NJ

Spending: $20,014/person · Grade: C

Jersey City, NJ

Spending: $21,136/person · Grade: B

Paterson, NJ

Spending: $16,110/person · Grade: C

Elizabeth, NJ

Spending: $21,067/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Camden, NJ spends $55,742 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.0B for a population of 71,799. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100).

Camden, NJ has total expenditures of $4.0B and total revenue of $735.2M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Camden, NJ has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100). 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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