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

Harrisonburg, VA

Population: 51,784 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
35/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$2.2B
Per Capita
$41,689
Total Revenue
$2.7B
Total Debt
$65.4M

Spending Breakdown

Education
49.0%$1.1B
Other
14.0%$303.2M
Utilities
10.7%$230.7M
Housing & Community Development
6.4%$137.2M
Public Welfare
5.4%$116.1M
Police
4.2%$90.7M
Parks & Recreation
3.0%$64.4M
Interest on Debt
3.0%$63.8M
Hospitals
2.3%$50.0M
Fire Protection
1.0%$21.8M
Sewerage
0.4%$9.2M
Health
0.4%$8.2M
Highways & Roads
0.3%$6.2M

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
0.5%$14.9M
Income Tax
2.1%$57.6M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$2.7B
Charges & Fees
4.5%$121.9M
Other
6.6%$180.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$1,751/person
Fire Protection$422/person
Highways & Roads$120/person
Parks & Recreation$1,243/person
Education$20,417/person
Health$158/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)60/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$65.4M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$1,262
Cash & Securities$11.2M

Compare Cities

See how Harrisonburg stacks up against another city.

vs Virginia Beach, VAvs Chesapeake, VAvs Norfolk, 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

Chesapeake, VA

Pop. 249K

D
Total Spending
$11.4B
Per Capita
$45,860

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

Compare Harrisonburg With

Virginia Beach, VA

Spending: $42,515/person · Grade: D

Chesapeake, VA

Spending: $45,860/person · Grade: D

Norfolk, VA

Spending: $50,880/person · Grade: D

Arlington, VA

Spending: $69,233/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Harrisonburg, VA spends $41,689 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.2B for a population of 51,784. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (35/100).

Harrisonburg, VA has total expenditures of $2.2B and total revenue of $2.7B. The city carries $65.4M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Harrisonburg, 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.

Harrisonburg, VA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (35/100). 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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