New York, NY vs Baltimore, MD
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Baltimore, MD by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $67,935, a 90% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Baltimore, MD edges New York, NY on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 70/100 (grade B) to 64/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Baltimore, MD reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while New York, NY carries $462 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in New York, NY at $37,892 per resident and in Baltimore, MD at $35,510.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in New York, NY and 7% in Baltimore, MD.
Summary
New York spends 90.1% more per capita than Baltimore ($61,184/person difference). Baltimore, MD has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 70/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $84 |
| Sales Tax | $399 | $55 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $375 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | $5,085 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $2,192 |
| Other | $3,593 | $4,765 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $820 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $1,214 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $676 |
| Education | $37,892 | $35,510 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $714 |
| Health | $417 | $757 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $1,877 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $384 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $4,087 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $87 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $3,809 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $0 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $19 |
| Other | $25,380 | $17,981 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.