Detroit, MI vs Dearborn, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Dearborn, MI by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $17,273, a 80% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Detroit, MI edges Dearborn, MI on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 69/100 (grade B) to 65/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Dearborn, MI carries the lighter load at $264 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Detroit, MI at $2,429 per resident and in Dearborn, MI at $1,938.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Dearborn, MI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Detroit spends 80.0% more per capita than Dearborn ($13,814/person difference). Detroit, MI has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $44 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $200 | $756 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $23,576 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $2,326 |
| Other | $6,892 | $3,543 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $1,938 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $21 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $1,485 |
| Health | $396 | $492 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $222 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $1,639 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $3,896 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $219 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $1,958 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $35 |
| Other | $13,216 | $5,368 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.