Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA spends 33% more per resident than Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA: $25,457 against $19,144. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 72/100 (grade B) for Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA leads with police at $1,167 per resident, while Atlanta, GA leads with parks and recreation at $1,274.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA and 6% in Atlanta, GA.
Summary
Atlanta spends 24.8% more per capita than Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance) ($6,314/person difference). Atlanta, GA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $2 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $1,856 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $27,728 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,561 | $5,645 |
| Other | $5,118 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,167 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $940 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $265 | $513 |
| Education | $35 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $1,012 | $1,587 |
| Health | $130 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $878 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $911 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $2,672 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $131 | $343 |
| Utilities | $4,264 | $8,026 |
| Other | $6,738 | $8,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.