Elizabeth, NJ vs Camden, NJ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Camden, NJ outspends Elizabeth, NJ by a wide margin per resident — $55,742 versus $21,067, a 165% 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 44/100 (grade D) for Camden, NJ — a 17-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 Camden, NJ leads with education at $9,407.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Elizabeth, NJ at 18% of total revenue, whereas Camden, NJ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 98%.
Summary
Camden spends 62.2% more per capita than Elizabeth ($34,675/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $70 |
| Sales Tax | $528 | $90 |
| Income Tax | $24 | $1,040 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,021 | $10,075 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,319 | $0 |
| Other | $0 | $2,131 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $5,797 |
| Fire Protection | $437 | $840 |
| Highways & Roads | $599 | $155 |
| Education | $0 | $9,407 |
| Public Welfare | $225 | $1,010 |
| Health | $332 | $1,329 |
| Hospitals | $3,386 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $980 | $570 |
| Housing | $3,768 | $4,700 |
| Sewerage | $178 | $0 |
| Utilities | $928 | $4,198 |
| General Admin | $0 | $32 |
| Other | $10,234 | $27,704 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.