Boston, MA vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Boston, MA by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $72,299, a 237% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Boston, MA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $2,516 for Washington, DC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Boston, MA at $30,742 per resident and in Washington, DC at $53,224.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 17% of total revenue in Boston, MA and 7% in Washington, DC.
Summary
Washington spends 70.3% more per capita than Boston ($171,042/person difference). Boston, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $78 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,357 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,784 | $4,070 |
| Other | $4,557 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $1,107 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $594 | $1,435 |
| Education | $30,742 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $1,110 | $2,498 |
| Health | $725 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $2,584 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $711 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $6,614 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $355 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $3,402 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $58 |
| General Admin | $5,401 | $3,225 |
| Other | $18,955 | $48,155 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.