Charlotte, NC vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Virginia Beach, VA outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $42,515 versus $15,854, a 168% 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 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 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 Virginia Beach, VA leads with education at $21,342.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas Virginia Beach, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Virginia Beach spends 62.7% more per capita than Charlotte ($26,662/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 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $1,462 |
| Other | $4,866 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $463 | $512 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $2,071 |
| Health | $0 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $140 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $3,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.