Fresno, CA vs New York, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Fresno, CA by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $43,387, a 198% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
New York, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while New York, NY carries $462 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Fresno, CA at $3,942 per resident and in New York, NY at $37,892.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas New York, NY relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 14%.
Summary
New York spends 66.4% more per capita than Fresno ($85,732/person difference). New York, NY has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $337 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $399 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $19 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $20,520 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $1,835 |
| Other | $2,070 | $3,593 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $1,512 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $11,050 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $221 |
| Education | $3,942 | $37,892 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $1,116 |
| Health | $599 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $6,467 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $868 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $7,137 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $315 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $13,371 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $11,706 |
| General Admin | $0 | $11,668 |
| Other | $14,545 | $25,380 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.