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

Charlotte, NC

Population: 875,045 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

C
63/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854
Total Revenue
$43.5B
Total Debt
$2.4B

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
24.9%$3.5B
Other
21.7%$3.0B
Utilities
14.2%$2.0B
Interest on Debt
14.0%$1.9B
Parks & Recreation
9.9%$1.4B
Hospitals
7.8%$1.1B
Public Welfare
4.2%$588.0M
Fire Protection
2.9%$405.4M
Highways & Roads
0.3%$36.3M

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

Sales Tax
1.1%$473.8M
Income Tax
0.7%$319.9M
Intergovernmental
3.7%$1.6B
Charges & Fees
4.9%$2.2B
Other
9.8%$4.3B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$463/person
Highways & Roads$41/person
Parks & Recreation$1,571/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)71/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$2.4B
Long-Term Debt$599.8M
Debt Per Capita$2,690
Cash & Securities$185.7M

Compare Cities

See how Charlotte stacks up against another city.

vs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NCvs Durham, 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

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

Winston-Salem, NC

Pop. 250K

A
Total Spending
$3.1B
Per Capita
$12,544

Compare Charlotte With

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Winston-Salem, NC

Spending: $12,544/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Charlotte, NC spends $15,854 per resident, based on total expenditures of $13.9B for a population of 875,045. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (63/100).

Charlotte, NC has total expenditures of $13.9B and total revenue of $43.5B. The city carries $2.4B in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Charlotte, 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.

Charlotte, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of C (63/100). 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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