Detroit, MI vs Grand Rapids, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI spends 40% more per resident than Grand Rapids, MI: $31,087 against $22,146. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Detroit, MI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 42/100 (grade D) for Grand Rapids, MI — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 per resident versus $1,394 for Grand Rapids, 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 Grand Rapids, MI at $1,930.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Grand Rapids, MI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Detroit spends 40.4% more per capita than Grand Rapids ($8,942/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 | $167 |
| Sales Tax | $200 | $1,089 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $429 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $25,397 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $2,769 |
| Other | $6,892 | $5,091 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $1,930 |
| Education | $0 | $133 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $366 |
| Health | $396 | $711 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $2,409 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $882 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $3,014 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $252 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $2,755 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $9,692 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.