Arlington, VA vs Roanoke, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Arlington, VA outspends Roanoke, VA by a wide margin per resident — $69,233 versus $38,513, a 80% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Roanoke, VA edges Arlington, VA on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 59/100 (grade C) to 58/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Roanoke, VA carries the lighter load at $7 per resident versus $499 for Arlington, 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 Roanoke, VA at $18,609.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 7% of total revenue in Arlington, VA and 13% in Roanoke, VA.
Summary
Arlington spends 79.8% more per capita than Roanoke ($30,720/person difference). Roanoke, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $27 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $554 | $472 |
| Income Tax | $466 | $386 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,733 | $1,358 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,576 | $0 |
| Other | $5,381 | $2,424 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,158 | $1,543 |
| Fire Protection | $694 | $235 |
| Highways & Roads | $780 | $1,357 |
| Education | $28,519 | $18,609 |
| Public Welfare | $3,283 | $0 |
| Health | $851 | $573 |
| Hospitals | $2,783 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,793 | $950 |
| Housing | $4,402 | $2,054 |
| Sewerage | $57 | $112 |
| Utilities | $9,221 | $3,633 |
| Other | $13,692 | $8,936 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.