Houston, TX vs Charlotte, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Charlotte, NC and Houston, TX spend within 10.1% of each other per resident — $15,854 versus $14,400 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Houston, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 63/100 (grade C) for Charlotte, NC — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Houston, TX carries the lighter load at $863 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Houston, TX at $361 per resident and in Charlotte, NC at $1,571.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 7% of total revenue in Houston, TX and 10% in Charlotte, NC.
Summary
Charlotte spends 9.2% more per capita than Houston ($1,454/person difference). Houston, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $181 | $541 |
| Income Tax | $39 | $366 |
| Intergovernmental | $33 | $1,859 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,475 | $2,459 |
| Other | $3,960 | $4,866 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $295 | $463 |
| Highways & Roads | $175 | $41 |
| Public Welfare | $533 | $672 |
| Health | $210 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $511 | $1,243 |
| Parks & Recreation | $361 | $1,571 |
| Housing | $4,288 | $3,944 |
| Sewerage | $386 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,339 | $2,244 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,226 |
| Other | $6,301 | $3,448 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.