Charlotte, NC vs Kansas City, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Kansas City, MO spends 44% more per resident than Charlotte, NC: $22,820 against $15,854. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Charlotte, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Kansas City, MO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Charlotte, NC carries $2,690 per resident. 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 Kansas City, MO at $1,309.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 10% of total revenue in Charlotte, NC and 835% in Kansas City, MO.
Summary
Kansas City spends 30.5% more per capita than Charlotte ($6,966/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)
| Sales Tax | $541 | $623 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $3,794 |
| Other | $4,866 | $11,150 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $119 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $3,018 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $1,849 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $1,309 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $4,681 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $3,123 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $8,721 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.