Detroit, MI vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Arlington, TX by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $11,769, a 164% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 69/100 (grade B) for Detroit, MI — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, TX carries the lighter load at $594 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Arlington, TX leads with parks and recreation at $1,352.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Arlington, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 41%.
Summary
Detroit spends 164.1% more per capita than Arlington ($19,318/person difference). Arlington, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $44 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $200 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $2,949 |
| Other | $6,892 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $149 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $826 |
| Health | $396 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $141 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $1,385 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $4,404 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.