Decatur, AL vs Birmingham, AL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Birmingham, AL outspends Decatur, AL by a wide margin per resident — $30,790 versus $17,185, a 79% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Birmingham, AL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 55/100 (grade C) against 46/100 (grade D) for Decatur, AL — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Decatur, AL carries the lighter load at $1,290 per resident versus $2,823 for Birmingham, AL. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Decatur, AL at $2,612 per resident and in Birmingham, AL at $1,823.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Decatur, AL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Birmingham, AL relies most on charges and fees at 13%.
Summary
Birmingham spends 44.2% more per capita than Decatur ($13,605/person difference). Birmingham, AL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $855 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $975 | $281 |
| Income Tax | $1,360 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $37,427 | $468 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,804 | $10,460 |
| Other | $4,387 | $734 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $22 |
| Fire Protection | $254 | $1,152 |
| Highways & Roads | $95 | $848 |
| Education | $43 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,023 | $2,110 |
| Health | $66 | $683 |
| Hospitals | $1,729 | $1,505 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,612 | $1,823 |
| Housing | $2,549 | $5,487 |
| Sewerage | $164 | $594 |
| Utilities | $3,362 | $5,451 |
| Other | $5,289 | $11,115 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.