Charlotte, NC vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $15,854, a 1435% 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 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Washington, DC carries the lighter load at $2,516 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 Washington, DC leads with education at $53,224.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas Washington, DC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Washington spends 93.5% more per capita than Charlotte ($227,487/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 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $541 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $4,070 |
| Other | $4,866 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $463 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $1,435 |
| Education | $0 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $2,498 |
| Health | $0 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $58 |
| General Admin | $0 | $3,225 |
| Other | $3,448 | $48,155 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.