Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN vs Fort Worth, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN outspends Fort Worth, TX by a wide margin per resident — $48,948 versus $15,939, a 207% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Fort Worth, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 47/100 (grade D) for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Fort Worth, TX carries the lighter load at $1,921 per resident versus $2,292 for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN leads with education at $21,061 per resident, while Fort Worth, TX leads with parks and recreation at $708.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 10% of total revenue in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN and 15% in Fort Worth, TX.
Summary
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) spends 207.1% more per capita than Fort Worth ($33,009/person difference). Fort Worth, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 63/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $373 | $198 |
| Income Tax | $135 | $851 |
| Intergovernmental | $13,787 | $4,002 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,444 | $3,594 |
| Other | $4,617 | $3,439 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $468 | $156 |
| Highways & Roads | $11 | $317 |
| Education | $21,061 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $738 | $869 |
| Health | $672 | $235 |
| Hospitals | $2,100 | $1,680 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,015 | $708 |
| Housing | $4,231 | $4,217 |
| Sewerage | $217 | $267 |
| Utilities | $3,140 | $2,674 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,667 | $0 |
| General Admin | $2,081 | $0 |
| Other | $10,028 | $4,817 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.