Detroit, MI vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Detroit, MI by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $31,087, a 683% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Detroit, MI holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 28-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 per resident versus $2,516 for Washington, DC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429 per resident, while Washington, DC leads with education at $53,224.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Detroit, MI at 15% of total revenue, whereas Washington, DC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Washington spends 87.2% more per capita than Detroit ($212,253/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 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $200 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $1,045 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | $291 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,228 | $4,070 |
| Other | $6,892 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $2,429 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $1,435 |
| Education | $0 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $833 | $2,498 |
| Health | $396 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $2,217 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $5,791 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $451 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $2,737 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,068 | $58 |
| General Admin | $0 | $3,225 |
| Other | $13,216 | $48,155 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.