Arlington, VA vs Portsmouth, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Arlington, VA spends 48% more per resident than Portsmouth, VA: $69,233 against $46,704. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Portsmouth, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 58/100 (grade C) for Arlington, VA — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Portsmouth, VA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Arlington, VA carries $499 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Arlington, VA at $28,519 per resident and in Portsmouth, VA at $20,569.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 7% of total revenue in Arlington, VA and 4% in Portsmouth, VA.
Summary
Arlington spends 48.2% more per capita than Portsmouth ($22,529/person difference). Portsmouth, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $27 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $554 | $291 |
| Income Tax | $466 | $2,119 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,733 | $12 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,576 | $2,606 |
| Other | $5,381 | $2,972 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,158 | $1,848 |
| Fire Protection | $694 | $450 |
| Highways & Roads | $780 | $954 |
| Education | $28,519 | $20,569 |
| Public Welfare | $3,283 | $1,406 |
| Health | $851 | $270 |
| Hospitals | $2,783 | $3,784 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,793 | $1,573 |
| Housing | $4,402 | $3,282 |
| Sewerage | $57 | $298 |
| Utilities | $9,221 | $4,446 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $63 |
| Other | $13,692 | $7,760 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.