Duluth, MN vs St. Paul, MN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Duluth, MN spends 45% more per resident than St. Paul, MN: $32,786 against $22,552. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
St. Paul, MN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 55/100 (grade C) against 30/100 (grade F) for Duluth, MN — a 25-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Duluth, MN carries the lighter load at $1,961 per resident versus $2,026 for St. Paul, MN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Duluth, MN at $4,217 per resident and in St. Paul, MN at $2,137.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Duluth, MN at 32% of total revenue, whereas St. Paul, MN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 18%.
Summary
Duluth spends 45.4% more per capita than St. Paul ($10,234/person difference). St. Paul, MN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 55/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1,363 | $130 |
| Sales Tax | $2,261 | $1,463 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $27 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,348 | $6,526 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,388 | $2,727 |
| Other | $4,697 | $4,806 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $465 | $503 |
| Public Welfare | $1,859 | $1,730 |
| Health | $530 | $663 |
| Hospitals | $1,029 | $3,391 |
| Parks & Recreation | $4,217 | $2,137 |
| Housing | $3,654 | $4,835 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $367 |
| Utilities | $1,313 | $2,294 |
| Interest on Debt | $3,181 | $0 |
| Other | $16,539 | $6,632 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.