New York, NY vs Fresno, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Fresno, CA by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $43,387, a 198% 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 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA 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 Fresno, CA at $3,942.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in New York, NY at 14% of total revenue, whereas Fresno, CA relies most on other revenue at 19%.
Summary
New York spends 197.6% more per capita than Fresno ($85,732/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 | $337 |
| Sales Tax | $399 | $19 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $501 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | -$4,470 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $11 |
| Other | $3,593 | $2,070 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $3,261 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $568 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $0 |
| Education | $37,892 | $3,942 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $1,946 |
| Health | $417 | $599 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $76 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $2,856 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $0 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $15,340 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $255 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $0 |
| Other | $25,380 | $14,545 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.