New York, NY vs Rochester, NY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New York, NY outspends Rochester, NY by a wide margin per resident — $129,119 versus $75,154, a 72% 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 47/100 (grade D) for Rochester, NY — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Rochester, NY 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 Rochester, NY at $42,739.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in New York, NY and 54% in Rochester, NY.
Summary
New York spends 71.8% more per capita than Rochester ($53,965/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 | $511 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $1,427 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | $3,814 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $1,993 |
| Other | $3,593 | $825 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $293 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $379 |
| Education | $37,892 | $42,739 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $140 |
| Health | $417 | $753 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $764 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $910 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $5,169 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $547 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $5,082 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $215 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $0 |
| Other | $25,380 | $18,162 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.