Chicago, IL vs Charlotte, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $15,854, a 118% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Charlotte, NC edges Chicago, IL on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 63/100 (grade C) to 61/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Chicago, IL carries the lighter load at $977 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754 per resident, while Charlotte, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,571.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Chicago, IL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Charlotte, NC relies most on other revenue at 10%.
Summary
Chicago spends 117.9% more per capita than Charlotte ($18,698/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 | $26 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $74 | $541 |
| Income Tax | $229 | $366 |
| Intergovernmental | $85,083 | $1,859 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,847 | $2,459 |
| Other | $3,463 | $4,866 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $10,754 | $463 |
| Highways & Roads | $930 | $41 |
| Public Welfare | $1,858 | $672 |
| Health | $426 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,444 | $1,243 |
| Parks & Recreation | $122 | $1,571 |
| Housing | $6,520 | $3,944 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,983 | $2,244 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,226 |
| Other | $9,385 | $3,448 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.