Charlotte, NC vs Memphis, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Memphis, TN spends 39% more per resident than Charlotte, NC: $22,111 against $15,854. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Memphis, TN edges Charlotte, NC on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 65/100 (grade B) to 63/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Memphis, TN carries the lighter load at $303 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 Memphis, TN at $1,397.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas Memphis, TN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Memphis spends 28.3% more per capita than Charlotte ($6,257/person difference). Memphis, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $541 | $496 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $1,218 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $34,065 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $2,077 |
| Other | $4,866 | $3,994 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $469 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $277 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $630 |
| Health | $0 | $391 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $1,677 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $1,397 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $4,683 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $2,578 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $1,158 |
| Other | $3,448 | $8,850 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.