Arlington, VA vs Norfolk, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Arlington, VA spends 36% more per resident than Norfolk, VA: $69,233 against $50,880. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Arlington, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 58/100 (grade C) against 46/100 (grade D) for Norfolk, VA — a 12-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, VA carries the lighter load at $499 per resident versus $1,370 for Norfolk, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Arlington, VA at $28,519 per resident and in Norfolk, VA at $19,019.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Arlington, VA at 7% of total revenue, whereas Norfolk, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Arlington spends 36.1% more per capita than Norfolk ($18,354/person difference). Arlington, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 58/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $27 | $97 |
| Sales Tax | $554 | $1,289 |
| Income Tax | $466 | $896 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,733 | $4,946 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,576 | $4,679 |
| Other | $5,381 | $3,596 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,158 | $1,718 |
| Fire Protection | $694 | $832 |
| Highways & Roads | $780 | $1,186 |
| Education | $28,519 | $19,019 |
| Public Welfare | $3,283 | $1,311 |
| Health | $851 | $519 |
| Hospitals | $2,783 | $5,390 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,793 | $1,601 |
| Housing | $4,402 | $3,939 |
| Sewerage | $57 | $96 |
| Utilities | $9,221 | $5,495 |
| Other | $13,692 | $9,773 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.