New York, NY vs Chicago, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Chicago, IL by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $34,551, a 274% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
New York, NY edges Chicago, IL on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 64/100 (grade C) to 61/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, New York, NY carries the lighter load at $462 per resident versus $977 for Chicago, IL. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: New York, NY leads with education at $37,892 per resident, while Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in New York, NY and 100% in Chicago, IL.
Summary
New York spends 273.7% more per capita than Chicago ($94,568/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 | $26 |
| Sales Tax | $399 | $74 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $229 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | $85,083 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $2,847 |
| Other | $3,593 | $3,463 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $10,754 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $930 |
| Education | $37,892 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $1,858 |
| Health | $417 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $1,444 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $122 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $6,520 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $129 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $2,983 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $0 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $0 |
| Other | $25,380 | $9,385 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.