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

Johnson City, TN

Population: 70,720 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

F
23/100

Critical — severe fiscal distress requiring immediate attention

Total Spending
$2.1B
Per Capita
$29,659
Total Revenue
$1.5B
Total Debt
$113.8M

Spending Breakdown

Education
47.3%$993.1M
Other
15.7%$329.3M
Utilities
12.6%$264.8M
Housing & Community Development
8.2%$172.7M
Public Welfare
6.8%$142.0M
Parks & Recreation
4.1%$86.8M
Interest on Debt
2.1%$44.4M
Health
1.1%$22.8M
Fire Protection
1.0%$21.5M
Highways & Roads
0.6%$13.6M
Hospitals
0.3%$6.5M

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
1.1%$16.1M
Income Tax
10.9%$162.8M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$1.5B
Charges & Fees
14.8%$221.5M
Other
17.8%$266.6M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$304/person
Highways & Roads$192/person
Parks & Recreation$1,227/person
Education$14,043/person
Health$322/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)10/100
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$113.8M
Long-Term Debt$0
Debt Per Capita$1,609
Cash & Securities$10.4M

Compare Cities

See how Johnson City stacks up against another city.

vs Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TNvs Memphis, TNvs Knoxville, TN
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Tennessee

Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN

Pop. 684K

D
Total Spending
$33.5B
Per Capita
$48,948

Memphis, TN

Pop. 630K

B
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$22,111

Knoxville, TN

Pop. 192K

C
Total Spending
$3.4B
Per Capita
$17,926

Chattanooga, TN

Pop. 181K

B
Total Spending
$4.4B
Per Capita
$24,150

Compare Johnson City With

Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN

Spending: $48,948/person · Grade: D

Memphis, TN

Spending: $22,111/person · Grade: B

Knoxville, TN

Spending: $17,926/person · Grade: C

Chattanooga, TN

Spending: $24,150/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Johnson City, TN spends $29,659 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.1B for a population of 70,720. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of F (23/100).

Johnson City, TN has total expenditures of $2.1B and total revenue of $1.5B. The city carries $113.8M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Johnson City, TN has a Fiscal Health Score of F (23/100). 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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