Austin, TX vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Virginia Beach, VA outspends Austin, TX by a wide margin per resident — $42,515 versus $21,772, a 95% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 28-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 per resident versus $1,229 for Austin, TX. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Austin, TX leads with parks and recreation at $1,801 per resident, while Virginia Beach, VA leads with education at $21,342.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 18% of total revenue in Austin, TX and 100% in Virginia Beach, VA.
Summary
Virginia Beach spends 48.8% more per capita than Austin ($20,743/person difference). Austin, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $526 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $1,462 |
| Other | $5,645 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $634 | $512 |
| Education | $51 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $2,071 |
| Health | $517 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $140 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $3,523 |
| Other | $8,399 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.