Albuquerque, NM vs Detroit, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Albuquerque, NM by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $17,237, a 80% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Albuquerque, NM holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 81/100 (grade A) against 69/100 (grade B) for Detroit, MI — a 12-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Albuquerque, NM carries the lighter load at $613 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Albuquerque, NM leads with parks and recreation at $1,990 per resident, while Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Albuquerque, NM at 11% of total revenue, whereas Detroit, MI relies most on other revenue at 15%.
Summary
Detroit spends 44.6% more per capita than Albuquerque ($13,850/person difference). Albuquerque, NM has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 81/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $36 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $355 | $200 |
| Income Tax | $1,580 | $1,045 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,897 | $291 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,633 | $2,228 |
| Other | $2,174 | $6,892 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $440 | $2,429 |
| Highways & Roads | $172 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $419 | $833 |
| Health | $291 | $396 |
| Hospitals | $328 | $2,217 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,990 | $950 |
| Housing | $4,080 | $5,791 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $451 |
| Utilities | $5,212 | $2,737 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,096 | $2,068 |
| Other | $3,209 | $13,216 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.