Charlotte, NC vs Houston, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Charlotte, NC and Houston, TX spend within 10.1% of each other per resident — $15,854 versus $14,400 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Houston, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 63/100 (grade C) for Charlotte, NC — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Houston, TX carries the lighter load at $863 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Charlotte, NC at $1,571 per resident and in Houston, TX at $361.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 10% of total revenue in Charlotte, NC and 7% in Houston, TX.
Summary
Charlotte spends 10.1% more per capita than Houston ($1,454/person difference). Houston, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $541 | $181 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $39 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $33 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $3,475 |
| Other | $4,866 | $3,960 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $295 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $175 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $533 |
| Health | $0 | $210 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $361 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $4,288 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $386 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $1,339 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $6,301 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.