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

Virginia Beach, VA

Population: 457,900 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

D
47/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$19.5B
Per Capita
$42,515
Total Revenue
$14.6B
Total Debt
$135.8M

Spending Breakdown

Education
50.2%$9.8B
Other
18.8%$3.7B
Utilities
8.3%$1.6B
Housing & Community Development
6.6%$1.3B
Public Welfare
4.9%$948.3M
Parks & Recreation
3.7%$720.9M
Police
2.6%$515.8M
Hospitals
2.4%$474.4M
Fire Protection
1.2%$234.3M
Health
1.0%$194.9M
Sewerage
0.3%$63.9M

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
2.1%$308.0M
Income Tax
2.6%$380.7M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$14.6B
Charges & Fees
4.6%$669.5M
Other
10.4%$1.5B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$1,126/person
Fire Protection$512/person
Parks & Recreation$1,574/person
Education$21,342/person
Health$426/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)28/100
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

Debt Overview

Total Debt$135.8M
Long-Term Debt$473.1M
Debt Per Capita$297
Cash & Securities$347.4M

Compare Cities

See how Virginia Beach stacks up against another city.

vs Chesapeake, 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

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

Richmond, VA

Pop. 227K

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

Compare Virginia Beach With

Chesapeake, VA

Spending: $45,860/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

Virginia Beach, VA spends $42,515 per resident, based on total expenditures of $19.5B for a population of 457,900. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (47/100).

Virginia Beach, VA has total expenditures of $19.5B and total revenue of $14.6B. The city carries $135.8M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Virginia Beach, 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.

Virginia Beach, VA 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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