Fresno, CA vs Baltimore, MD
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Baltimore, MD spends 57% more per resident than Fresno, CA: $67,935 against $43,387. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Baltimore, MD holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 70/100 (grade B) against 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 20-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. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Fresno, CA at $3,942 per resident and in Baltimore, MD at $35,510.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas Baltimore, MD relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Baltimore spends 36.1% more per capita than Fresno ($24,548/person difference). Baltimore, MD has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 70/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $337 | $84 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $55 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $375 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $5,085 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $2,192 |
| Other | $2,070 | $4,765 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $820 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $1,214 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $676 |
| Education | $3,942 | $35,510 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $714 |
| Health | $599 | $757 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,877 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $384 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $4,087 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $87 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $3,809 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $0 |
| General Admin | $0 | $19 |
| Other | $14,545 | $17,981 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.