Jacksonville, FL vs Philadelphia, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Philadelphia, PA outspends Jacksonville, FL by a wide margin per resident — $56,272 versus $31,456, a 79% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Jacksonville, FL holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 53/100 (grade C) against 45/100 (grade D) for Philadelphia, PA — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Philadelphia, PA carries the lighter load at $1,069 per resident versus $2,821 for Jacksonville, FL. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Jacksonville, FL at $9,436 per resident and in Philadelphia, PA at $7,082.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in Jacksonville, FL and 16% in Philadelphia, PA.
Summary
Philadelphia spends 44.1% more per capita than Jacksonville ($24,816/person difference). Jacksonville, FL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 53/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $233 | $107 |
| Income Tax | $762 | $8 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,348 | $6,288 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,119 | $2,790 |
| Other | $4,705 | $4,029 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $18 | $1,505 |
| Fire Protection | $9,436 | $7,082 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $1,215 |
| Public Welfare | $486 | $1,456 |
| Health | $332 | $229 |
| Hospitals | $557 | $4,048 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,329 | $593 |
| Housing | $5,572 | $4,902 |
| Sewerage | $176 | $325 |
| Utilities | $1,835 | $4,222 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,942 | $3 |
| Other | $9,771 | $30,692 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.