Fresno, CA vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Fresno, CA by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $43,387, a 461% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Fresno, CA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 50/100 (grade C) against 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Washington, DC carries $2,516 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 Washington, DC at $53,224.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas Washington, DC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Washington spends 82.2% more per capita than Fresno ($199,954/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 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $4,070 |
| Other | $2,070 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $1,435 |
| Education | $3,942 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $2,498 |
| Health | $599 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $58 |
| General Admin | $0 | $3,225 |
| Other | $14,545 | $48,155 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.