Lynn, MA vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boston, MA spends 32% more per resident than Lynn, MA: $72,299 against $54,972. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Boston, MA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 42/100 (grade D) for Lynn, MA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Lynn, MA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Boston, MA carries $445 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Lynn, MA at $40,488 per resident and in Boston, MA at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Lynn, MA and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Boston spends 24.0% more per capita than Lynn ($17,327/person difference). Boston, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $96 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $224 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $7,325 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,784 |
| Other | $255 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $243 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $594 |
| Education | $40,488 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $974 | $1,110 |
| Health | $132 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $489 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $957 | $711 |
| Housing | $2,368 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $2,776 | $355 |
| Utilities | $834 | $3,402 |
| General Admin | $0 | $5,401 |
| Other | $5,710 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.