Detroit, MI vs Warren, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Warren, MI by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $15,235, a 104% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Detroit, MI edges Warren, MI 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 $941 for Warren, 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 Warren, MI at $2,024.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Warren, MI relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 27%.
Summary
Detroit spends 104.1% more per capita than Warren ($15,852/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 | $68 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $3,804 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $1,940 |
| Other | $6,892 | $2,406 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $2,024 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $154 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $2,305 |
| Health | $396 | $330 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $164 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $449 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $3,684 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $234 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $2,218 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $0 |
| Other | $13,216 | $3,671 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.