Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Chesapeake, VA

Population: 249,377 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
41/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$11.4B
Per Capita
$45,860
Total Revenue
$24.3M
Total Debt
$170.5M

Spending Breakdown

Education
54.5%$6.2B
Other
13.3%$1.5B
Housing & Community Development
7.7%$885.3M
Utilities
6.9%$785.0M
Police
5.0%$575.1M
Public Welfare
4.6%$525.2M
Hospitals
2.4%$270.9M
Fire Protection
1.6%$188.3M
Parks & Recreation
1.2%$139.3M
Health
1.0%$120.0M
Highways & Roads
0.9%$102.9M
Sewerage
0.7%$82.4M

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
12.7%$3.1M
Sales Tax
40.4%$9.8M
Intergovernmental
4.7%$1.1M
Charges & Fees
1825.1%$443.9M
Other
3764.1%$915.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$2,306/person
Fire Protection$755/person
Highways & Roads$413/person
Parks & Recreation$559/person
Education$25,005/person
Health$481/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)30/100
Debt Burden (20%)68/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$170.5M
Long-Term Debt$81.0M
Debt Per Capita$684
Cash & Securities$209.0M

Compare Cities

See how Chesapeake stacks up against another city.

vs Virginia Beach, VAvs Norfolk, VAvs Arlington, VA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Virginia

Virginia Beach, VA

Pop. 458K

D
Total Spending
$19.5B
Per Capita
$42,515

Norfolk, VA

Pop. 237K

D
Total Spending
$12.1B
Per Capita
$50,880

Arlington, VA

Pop. 236K

C
Total Spending
$16.3B
Per Capita
$69,233

Richmond, VA

Pop. 227K

D
Total Spending
$14.0B
Per Capita
$61,661

Compare Chesapeake With

Virginia Beach, VA

Spending: $42,515/person · Grade: D

Norfolk, VA

Spending: $50,880/person · Grade: D

Arlington, VA

Spending: $69,233/person · Grade: C

Richmond, VA

Spending: $61,661/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Chesapeake, VA spends $45,860 per resident, based on total expenditures of $11.4B for a population of 249,377. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100).

Chesapeake, VA has total expenditures of $11.4B and total revenue of $24.3M. The city carries $170.5M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Chesapeake, VA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100). 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.

Last updated: