Charlotte, NC vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Francisco, CA outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $184,131 versus $15,854, a 1061% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Charlotte, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 48/100 (grade D) for San Francisco, CA — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, San Francisco, CA carries the lighter load at $2,031 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 San Francisco, CA at $4,119.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas San Francisco, CA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
San Francisco spends 91.4% more per capita than Charlotte ($168,278/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 | $148 |
| Sales Tax | $541 | $3,028 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $269 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $19,762 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $7,961 |
| Other | $4,866 | $18,918 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,351 |
| Fire Protection | $463 | $2,281 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $2,203 |
| Health | $0 | $1,911 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $6,939 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $4,119 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $9,315 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $1,423 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $21,190 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $22,798 |
| General Admin | $0 | $14,899 |
| Other | $3,448 | $93,702 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.