Raleigh, NC vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boston, MA outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $72,299 versus $13,911, a 420% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 56/100 (grade C) for Boston, MA — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $906 for Raleigh, NC. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Raleigh, NC leads with parks and recreation at $1,391 per resident, while Boston, MA leads with education at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 47% of total revenue in Raleigh, NC and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Boston spends 80.8% more per capita than Raleigh ($58,388/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $858 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $2,784 |
| Other | $4,740 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $594 |
| Education | $6 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $1,110 |
| Health | $0 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $711 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $355 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $3,402 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $0 |
| General Admin | $0 | $5,401 |
| Other | $3,646 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.