Fresno, CA vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fresno, CA and Virginia Beach, VA spend within 2.1% of each other per resident — $43,387 versus $42,515 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Fresno, CA edges Virginia Beach, VA on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 50/100 (grade C) to 47/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Virginia Beach, VA carries $297 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 Virginia Beach, VA at $21,342.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas Virginia Beach, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Fresno spends 2.1% more per capita than Virginia Beach ($872/person difference). Fresno, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 50/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $337 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $1,462 |
| Other | $2,070 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $512 |
| Education | $3,942 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $2,071 |
| Health | $599 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $140 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $3,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $0 |
| Other | $14,545 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.