Detroit, MI vs Fort Worth, TX

Detroit, MI outspends Fort Worth, TX by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $15,939, a 95% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.

Detroit, MI edges Fort Worth, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 69/100 (grade B) to 63/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.

On debt, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 per resident versus $1,921 for Fort Worth, TX. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Fort Worth, TX leads with parks and recreation at $708.

They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Fort Worth, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 15%.