Detroit, MI vs Houston, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Houston, TX by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $14,400, a 116% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Houston, 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, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 per resident versus $863 for Houston, TX. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Houston, TX leads with parks and recreation at $361.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 15% of total revenue in Detroit, MI and 7% in Houston, TX.
Summary
Detroit spends 115.9% more per capita than Houston ($16,688/person difference). Houston, 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 | $181 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $39 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $33 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $3,475 |
| Other | $6,892 | $3,960 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $295 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $175 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $533 |
| Health | $396 | $210 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $361 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $4,288 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $386 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $1,339 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $6,301 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.