Dallas, TX vs Charlotte, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dallas, TX outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $34,849 versus $15,854, a 120% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Charlotte, NC edges Dallas, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 63/100 (grade C) to 57/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Dallas, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Charlotte, NC carries $2,690 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Dallas, TX leads with police at $1,519 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 Dallas, TX at 22% of total revenue, whereas Charlotte, NC relies most on other revenue at 10%.
Summary
Dallas spends 119.8% more per capita than Charlotte ($18,996/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 | $9 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $25 | $541 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $366 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,223 | $1,859 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,459 |
| Other | $584 | $4,866 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $305 | $463 |
| Highways & Roads | $201 | $41 |
| Education | $62 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $215 | $672 |
| Hospitals | $385 | $1,243 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,571 |
| Housing | $444 | $3,944 |
| Utilities | $833 | $2,244 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,226 |
| General Admin | $25,827 | $0 |
| Other | $5,059 | $3,448 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.