Colorado Springs, CO vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Raleigh, NC and Colorado Springs, CO spend within 5.2% of each other per resident — $13,911 versus $13,222 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 59/100 (grade C) for Colorado Springs, CO — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Raleigh, NC carries the lighter load at $906 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Colorado Springs, CO leads with fire protection at $1,266 per resident, while Raleigh, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,391.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 13% of total revenue in Colorado Springs, CO and 47% in Raleigh, NC.
Summary
Raleigh spends 4.9% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($688/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $257 | $858 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $806 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,902 | $14,128 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,676 | $2,681 |
| Other | $2,678 | $4,740 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,266 | $277 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $448 |
| Education | $0 | $6 |
| Public Welfare | $575 | $498 |
| Hospitals | $416 | $669 |
| Parks & Recreation | $376 | $1,391 |
| Housing | $2,713 | $2,712 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $281 |
| Utilities | $2,566 | $2,469 |
| Interest on Debt | $190 | $1,513 |
| Other | $5,120 | $3,646 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.