Detroit, MI vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Virginia Beach, VA spends 37% more per resident than Detroit, MI: $42,515 against $31,087. 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 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Virginia Beach, VA leads with education at $21,342.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Virginia Beach, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Virginia Beach spends 26.9% more per capita than Detroit ($11,428/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 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $1,462 |
| Other | $6,892 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $512 |
| Education | $0 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $2,071 |
| Health | $396 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $140 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $3,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.