Miami, FL vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Miami, FL outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $28,195 versus $13,911, a 103% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 53/100 (grade C) for Miami, FL — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Miami, FL reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Raleigh, NC carries $906 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Miami, FL leads with fire protection at $7,399 per resident, while Raleigh, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,391.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Miami, FL and 47% in Raleigh, NC.
Summary
Miami spends 102.7% more per capita than Raleigh ($14,284/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 | $0 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,647 | $858 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $806 |
| Intergovernmental | $15,037 | $14,128 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,681 |
| Other | $1,399 | $4,740 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $7,399 | $277 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $448 |
| Education | $0 | $6 |
| Public Welfare | $109 | $498 |
| Hospitals | $1,499 | $669 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,783 | $1,391 |
| Housing | $6,840 | $2,712 |
| Sewerage | $699 | $281 |
| Utilities | $1,295 | $2,469 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,513 |
| Other | $8,572 | $3,646 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.