Baltimore, MD vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Baltimore, MD spends 60% more per resident than Virginia Beach, VA: $67,935 against $42,515. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Baltimore, MD holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 70/100 (grade B) against 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Baltimore, MD reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Virginia Beach, VA carries $297 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Baltimore, MD at $35,510 per resident and in Virginia Beach, VA at $21,342.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 7% of total revenue in Baltimore, MD and 100% in Virginia Beach, VA.
Summary
Baltimore spends 59.8% more per capita than Virginia Beach ($25,420/person difference). Baltimore, MD has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 70/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $84 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $55 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $375 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,085 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,192 | $1,462 |
| Other | $4,765 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $820 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $1,214 | $512 |
| Highways & Roads | $676 | $0 |
| Education | $35,510 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $714 | $2,071 |
| Health | $757 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $1,877 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $384 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $4,087 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $87 | $140 |
| Utilities | $3,809 | $3,523 |
| General Admin | $19 | $0 |
| Other | $17,981 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.