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

New Brunswick, NJ

Population: 55,718 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.9B
Per Capita
$70,317
Total Revenue
$3.9B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Education
74.2%$2.9B
Other
11.0%$430.1M
Housing & Community Development
5.0%$195.2M
Hospitals
4.6%$180.8M
Utilities
4.1%$162.3M
Health
0.4%$13.7M
Fire Protection
0.3%$13.2M
Public Welfare
0.2%$8.5M
Sewerage
0.1%$4.1M
Highways & Roads
0.1%$2.6M
Parks & Recreation
0.0%$1.1M

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
7.0%$270.6M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$3.9B
Charges & Fees
4.2%$162.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$237/person
Highways & Roads$47/person
Parks & Recreation$19/person
Education$52,160/person
Health$246/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)29/100
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 New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick 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

New Brunswick, NJ spends $70,317 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.9B for a population of 55,718. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

New Brunswick, NJ has total expenditures of $3.9B and total revenue of $3.9B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

New Brunswick, 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.

New Brunswick, NJ has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100). 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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