Boston, MA vs New York, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Boston, MA by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $72,299, a 79% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
New York, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 56/100 (grade C) for Boston, MA — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $462 for New York, NY. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Boston, MA at $30,742 per resident and in New York, NY at $37,892.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 17% of total revenue in Boston, MA and 14% in New York, NY.
Summary
New York spends 44.0% more per capita than Boston ($56,821/person difference). New York, NY has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $78 | $399 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $19 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,357 | $20,520 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,784 | $1,835 |
| Other | $4,557 | $3,593 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,512 |
| Fire Protection | $1,107 | $11,050 |
| Highways & Roads | $594 | $221 |
| Education | $30,742 | $37,892 |
| Public Welfare | $1,110 | $1,116 |
| Health | $725 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $2,584 | $6,467 |
| Parks & Recreation | $711 | $868 |
| Housing | $6,614 | $7,137 |
| Sewerage | $355 | $315 |
| Utilities | $3,402 | $13,371 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $11,706 |
| General Admin | $5,401 | $11,668 |
| Other | $18,955 | $25,380 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.