Denver, CO vs Charlotte, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO outspends Charlotte, NC by a wide margin per resident — $33,582 versus $15,854, a 112% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Charlotte, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 51/100 (grade C) for Denver, CO — a 12-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Charlotte, NC carries the lighter load at $2,690 per resident versus $5,126 for Denver, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Denver, CO at $3,319 per resident and in Charlotte, NC at $1,571.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Denver, CO at 37% of total revenue, whereas Charlotte, NC relies most on other revenue at 10%.
Summary
Denver spends 111.8% more per capita than Charlotte ($17,729/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)
| Sales Tax | $2,070 | $541 |
| Income Tax | $236 | $366 |
| Intergovernmental | $44,661 | $1,859 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,207 | $2,459 |
| Other | $10,100 | $4,866 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,455 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $1,668 | $463 |
| Highways & Roads | $475 | $41 |
| Education | $821 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $764 | $672 |
| Health | $693 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $2,855 | $1,243 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,319 | $1,571 |
| Housing | $3,565 | $3,944 |
| Sewerage | $293 | $0 |
| Utilities | $4,292 | $2,244 |
| Interest on Debt | $7 | $2,226 |
| General Admin | $364 | $0 |
| Other | $12,011 | $3,448 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.