Detroit, MI vs Oklahoma City, OK
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Oklahoma City, OK by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $18,074, a 72% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Detroit, MI edges Oklahoma City, OK 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, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 per resident versus $3,520 for Oklahoma City, OK. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Oklahoma City, OK leads with parks and recreation at $2,014.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Oklahoma City, OK relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 19%.
Summary
Detroit spends 72.0% more per capita than Oklahoma City ($13,014/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 | $763 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $1,037 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $6,852 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $3,256 |
| Other | $6,892 | $1,836 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $513 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $1,525 |
| Health | $396 | $5 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $2,044 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $2,014 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $2,857 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $4,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $707 |
| Other | $13,216 | $3,886 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.