Indianapolis city (balance), IN vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Indianapolis city (balance), IN outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $46,045 versus $13,911, a 231% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Raleigh, NC edges Indianapolis city (balance), IN on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 76/100 (grade B) to 74/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Indianapolis city (balance), IN carries the lighter load at $577 per resident versus $906 for Raleigh, NC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Indianapolis city (balance), IN leads with police at $2,032 per resident, while Raleigh, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,391.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Indianapolis city (balance), IN at 6% of total revenue, whereas Raleigh, NC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 47%.
Summary
Indianapolis city (balance) spends 231.0% more per capita than Raleigh ($32,134/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $20 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $178 | $858 |
| Income Tax | $136 | $806 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,312 | $14,128 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,813 | $2,681 |
| Other | $4,675 | $4,740 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,032 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $397 | $277 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $448 |
| Education | $0 | $6 |
| Public Welfare | $1,469 | $498 |
| Hospitals | $2,453 | $669 |
| Parks & Recreation | $798 | $1,391 |
| Housing | $2,664 | $2,712 |
| Sewerage | $248 | $281 |
| Utilities | $2,227 | $2,469 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,381 | $1,513 |
| General Admin | $23,227 | $0 |
| Other | $9,149 | $3,646 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.