Charleston, SC vs Summerville, SC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Charleston, SC outspends Summerville, SC by a wide margin per resident — $23,793 versus $9,946, a 139% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Summerville, SC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 50/100 (grade C) for Charleston, SC — a 17-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. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Charleston, SC at $3,903 per resident and in Summerville, SC at $631.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charleston, SC at 82% of total revenue, whereas Summerville, SC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 84%.
Summary
Charleston spends 139.2% more per capita than Summerville ($13,848/person difference). Summerville, SC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,723 | $92 |
| Income Tax | $2,502 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $646 | $4,202 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,363 |
| Other | $4,635 | $971 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,726 | $152 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,309 | $527 |
| Public Welfare | $902 | $0 |
| Health | $2,099 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,903 | $631 |
| Housing | $5,779 | $2,315 |
| Sewerage | $191 | $153 |
| Utilities | $2,955 | $2,819 |
| General Admin | $625 | $0 |
| Other | $4,305 | $3,350 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.