Norfolk, VA vs Arlington, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Arlington, VA spends 36% more per resident than Norfolk, VA: $69,233 against $50,880. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Arlington, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 58/100 (grade C) against 46/100 (grade D) for Norfolk, VA — a 12-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, VA carries the lighter load at $499 per resident versus $1,370 for Norfolk, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Norfolk, VA at $19,019 per resident and in Arlington, VA at $28,519.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Norfolk, VA at 7% of total revenue, whereas Arlington, VA relies most on other revenue at 7%.
Summary
Arlington spends 26.5% more per capita than Norfolk ($18,354/person difference). Arlington, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 58/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $97 | $27 |
| Sales Tax | $1,289 | $554 |
| Income Tax | $896 | $466 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,946 | $4,733 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,679 | $2,576 |
| Other | $3,596 | $5,381 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,718 | $2,158 |
| Fire Protection | $832 | $694 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,186 | $780 |
| Education | $19,019 | $28,519 |
| Public Welfare | $1,311 | $3,283 |
| Health | $519 | $851 |
| Hospitals | $5,390 | $2,783 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,601 | $2,793 |
| Housing | $3,939 | $4,402 |
| Sewerage | $96 | $57 |
| Utilities | $5,495 | $9,221 |
| Other | $9,773 | $13,692 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.