Chesapeake, VA vs Roanoke, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chesapeake, VA spends 19% more per resident than Roanoke, VA: $45,860 against $38,513. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Roanoke, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 59/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Chesapeake, VA — a 18-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Roanoke, VA carries the lighter load at $7 per resident versus $684 for Chesapeake, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Chesapeake, VA at $25,005 per resident and in Roanoke, VA at $18,609.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 3764% of total revenue in Chesapeake, VA and 13% in Roanoke, VA.
Summary
Chesapeake spends 19.1% more per capita than Roanoke ($7,346/person difference). Roanoke, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $12 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $39 | $472 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $386 |
| Intergovernmental | $5 | $1,358 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,780 | $0 |
| Other | $3,671 | $2,424 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,306 | $1,543 |
| Fire Protection | $755 | $235 |
| Highways & Roads | $413 | $1,357 |
| Education | $25,005 | $18,609 |
| Public Welfare | $2,106 | $0 |
| Health | $481 | $573 |
| Hospitals | $1,086 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $559 | $950 |
| Housing | $3,550 | $2,054 |
| Sewerage | $331 | $112 |
| Utilities | $3,148 | $3,633 |
| Other | $6,120 | $8,936 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.