Charlotte, NC vs Chicago, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $15,854, a 118% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Charlotte, NC edges Chicago, IL on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 63/100 (grade C) to 61/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Chicago, IL carries the lighter load at $977 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Charlotte, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,571 per resident, while Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas Chicago, IL relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Chicago spends 54.1% more per capita than Charlotte ($18,698/person difference). Charlotte, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 63/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $26 |
| Sales Tax | $541 | $74 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $229 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $85,083 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $2,847 |
| Other | $4,866 | $3,463 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $10,754 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $930 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $1,858 |
| Health | $0 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $1,444 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $122 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $6,520 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $129 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $2,983 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $9,385 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.