Norfolk, VA vs Richmond, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Richmond, VA spends 21% more per resident than Norfolk, VA: $61,661 against $50,880. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Norfolk, VA edges Richmond, VA on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 46/100 (grade D) to 45/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Richmond, VA carries the lighter load at $1,304 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 Richmond, VA at $20,033.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Norfolk, VA at 7% of total revenue, whereas Richmond, VA relies most on other revenue at 10%.
Summary
Richmond spends 17.5% more per capita than Norfolk ($10,782/person difference). Norfolk, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 46/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $97 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $1,289 | $930 |
| Income Tax | $896 | $879 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,946 | $3,985 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,679 | $3,949 |
| Other | $3,596 | $7,690 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,718 | $2,108 |
| Fire Protection | $832 | $921 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,186 | $738 |
| Education | $19,019 | $20,033 |
| Public Welfare | $1,311 | $1,535 |
| Health | $519 | $341 |
| Hospitals | $5,390 | $3,770 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,601 | $1,154 |
| Housing | $3,939 | $5,951 |
| Sewerage | $96 | $17 |
| Utilities | $5,495 | $7,265 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $3,048 |
| Other | $9,773 | $14,781 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.