Raleigh, NC vs Detroit, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $13,911, a 123% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Raleigh, NC edges Detroit, MI on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 76/100 (grade B) to 69/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Detroit, MI carries the lighter load at $776 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 Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Raleigh, NC at 47% of total revenue, whereas Detroit, MI relies most on other revenue at 15%.
Summary
Detroit spends 55.3% more per capita than Raleigh ($17,176/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $858 | $200 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $1,045 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $291 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $2,228 |
| Other | $4,740 | $6,892 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $2,429 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $0 |
| Education | $6 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $833 |
| Health | $0 | $396 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $2,217 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $950 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $5,791 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $451 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $2,737 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $2,068 |
| Other | $3,646 | $13,216 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.