New York, NY vs Washington, DC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends New York, NY by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $129,119, a 88% 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 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, New York, NY carries the lighter load at $462 per resident versus $2,516 for Washington, DC. 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 Washington, DC at $53,224.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 14% of total revenue in New York, NY and 7% in Washington, DC.
Summary
Washington spends 46.9% more per capita than New York ($114,221/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 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $399 | $991 |
| Income Tax | $19 | $141 |
| Intergovernmental | $20,520 | $18,754 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,835 | $4,070 |
| Other | $3,593 | $11,518 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,512 | $4,183 |
| Fire Protection | $11,050 | $4,262 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $1,435 |
| Education | $37,892 | $53,224 |
| Public Welfare | $1,116 | $2,498 |
| Health | $417 | $1,009 |
| Hospitals | $6,467 | $17,668 |
| Parks & Recreation | $868 | $5,459 |
| Housing | $7,137 | $10,296 |
| Sewerage | $315 | $2,881 |
| Utilities | $13,371 | $88,990 |
| Interest on Debt | $11,706 | $58 |
| General Admin | $11,668 | $3,225 |
| Other | $25,380 | $48,155 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.