New York, NY vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Boston, MA by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $72,299, a 79% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
New York, NY holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 64/100 (grade C) against 56/100 (grade C) for Boston, MA — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $462 for New York, NY. 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 Boston, MA at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in New York, NY and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
New York spends 78.6% more per capita than Boston ($56,821/person difference). New York, NY has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 64/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $399 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $2,784 |
| Other | $3,593 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $594 |
| Education | $37,892 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $1,110 |
| Health | $417 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $711 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $355 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $3,402 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $0 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $5,401 |
| Other | $25,380 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.