Elizabeth, NJ vs Bayonne, NJ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bayonne, NJ outspends Elizabeth, NJ by a wide margin per resident — $50,508 versus $21,067, a 140% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Elizabeth, NJ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 61/100 (grade C) against 52/100 (grade C) for Bayonne, NJ — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Elizabeth, NJ leads with parks and recreation at $980 per resident, while Bayonne, NJ leads with education at $33,371.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Elizabeth, NJ at 18% of total revenue, whereas Bayonne, NJ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Bayonne spends 58.3% more per capita than Elizabeth ($29,441/person difference). Elizabeth, NJ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $528 | $421 |
| Income Tax | $24 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,021 | $22,076 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,319 | $0 |
| Other | $0 | $42 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $437 | $299 |
| Highways & Roads | $599 | $151 |
| Education | $0 | $33,371 |
| Public Welfare | $225 | $312 |
| Health | $332 | $295 |
| Hospitals | $3,386 | $3,100 |
| Parks & Recreation | $980 | $724 |
| Housing | $3,768 | $3,721 |
| Sewerage | $178 | $80 |
| Utilities | $928 | $22 |
| Other | $10,234 | $8,434 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.