Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN vs Johnson City, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN outspends Johnson City, TN by a wide margin per resident — $48,948 versus $29,659, a 65% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 47/100 (grade D) against 23/100 (grade F) for Johnson City, TN — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Johnson City, TN carries the lighter load at $1,609 per resident versus $2,292 for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN at $21,061 per resident and in Johnson City, TN at $14,043.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 10% of total revenue in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN and 100% in Johnson City, TN.
Summary
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) spends 65.0% more per capita than Johnson City ($19,289/person difference). Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 47/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $373 | $228 |
| Income Tax | $135 | $2,303 |
| Intergovernmental | $13,787 | $21,169 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,444 | $3,131 |
| Other | $4,617 | $3,770 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $468 | $304 |
| Highways & Roads | $11 | $192 |
| Education | $21,061 | $14,043 |
| Public Welfare | $738 | $2,007 |
| Health | $672 | $322 |
| Hospitals | $2,100 | $92 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,015 | $1,227 |
| Housing | $4,231 | $2,442 |
| Sewerage | $217 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,140 | $3,744 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,667 | $628 |
| General Admin | $2,081 | $0 |
| Other | $10,028 | $4,657 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.