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

Richmond, VA

Population: 227,171 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
45/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$14.0B
Per Capita
$61,661
Total Revenue
$17.5B
Total Debt
$296.3M

Spending Breakdown

Education
32.5%$4.6B
Other
24.0%$3.4B
Utilities
11.8%$1.7B
Housing & Community Development
9.7%$1.4B
Hospitals
6.1%$856.4M
Interest on Debt
4.9%$692.4M
Police
3.4%$478.9M
Public Welfare
2.5%$348.7M
Parks & Recreation
1.9%$262.1M
Fire Protection
1.5%$209.2M
Highways & Roads
1.2%$167.6M
Health
0.6%$77.4M
Sewerage
0.0%$3.9M

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
1.2%$211.2M
Income Tax
1.1%$199.7M
Intergovernmental
5.2%$905.4M
Charges & Fees
5.1%$897.1M
Other
10.0%$1.7B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$2,108/person
Fire Protection$921/person
Highways & Roads$738/person
Parks & Recreation$1,154/person
Education$20,033/person
Health$341/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)58/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$296.3M
Long-Term Debt$115.2M
Debt Per Capita$1,304
Cash & Securities$65.5M

Compare Cities

See how Richmond 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 Richmond 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

Richmond, VA spends $61,661 per resident, based on total expenditures of $14.0B for a population of 227,171. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (45/100).

Richmond, VA has total expenditures of $14.0B and total revenue of $17.5B. The city carries $296.3M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Richmond, 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.

Richmond, VA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (45/100). 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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