Newport News, VA vs Chesapeake, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Newport News, VA spends 24% more per resident than Chesapeake, VA: $56,948 against $45,860. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Chesapeake, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 41/100 (grade D) against 32/100 (grade F) for Newport News, VA — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Chesapeake, VA carries the lighter load at $684 per resident versus $2,213 for Newport News, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Newport News, VA at $23,175 per resident and in Chesapeake, VA at $25,005.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Newport News, VA at 17% of total revenue, whereas Chesapeake, VA relies most on other revenue at 3764%.
Summary
Newport News spends 24.2% more per capita than Chesapeake ($11,089/person difference). Chesapeake, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 41/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $12 |
| Sales Tax | $382 | $39 |
| Income Tax | $820 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $899 | $5 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,701 | $1,780 |
| Other | $4,722 | $3,671 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,848 | $2,306 |
| Fire Protection | $658 | $755 |
| Highways & Roads | $702 | $413 |
| Education | $23,175 | $25,005 |
| Public Welfare | $1,145 | $2,106 |
| Health | $377 | $481 |
| Hospitals | $2,755 | $1,086 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,102 | $559 |
| Housing | $4,827 | $3,550 |
| Sewerage | $219 | $331 |
| Utilities | $7,332 | $3,148 |
| Other | $11,810 | $6,120 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.