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

Washington, DC

Population: 670,587 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

D
41/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$163.2B
Per Capita
$243,341
Total Revenue
$186.2B
Total Debt
$1.7B

Spending Breakdown

Utilities
36.6%$59.7B
Education
21.9%$35.7B
Other
19.8%$32.3B
Hospitals
7.3%$11.8B
Housing & Community Development
4.2%$6.9B
Parks & Recreation
2.2%$3.7B
Fire Protection
1.8%$2.9B
Police
1.7%$2.8B
General Administration
1.3%$2.2B
Sewerage
1.2%$1.9B
Public Welfare
1.0%$1.7B
Highways & Roads
0.6%$962.5M
Health
0.4%$676.8M
Interest on Debt
0.0%$38.6M

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

Property Tax
0.0%$16.5M
Sales Tax
0.4%$664.6M
Income Tax
0.1%$94.9M
Intergovernmental
6.8%$12.6B
Charges & Fees
1.5%$2.7B
Other
4.1%$7.7B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$4,183/person
Fire Protection$4,262/person
Highways & Roads$1,435/person
Parks & Recreation$5,459/person
Education$53,224/person
Health$1,009/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)45/100
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$1.7B
Long-Term Debt$4.4B
Debt Per Capita$2,516
Cash & Securities$585.6M

Compare Cities

See how Washington stacks up against another city.

Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Washington, DC spends $243,341 per resident, based on total expenditures of $163.2B for a population of 670,587. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100).

Washington, DC has total expenditures of $163.2B and total revenue of $186.2B. The city carries $1.7B in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Washington, DC has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100). 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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