Raleigh, NC vs Kansas City, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Kansas City, MO outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $22,820 versus $13,911, a 64% 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 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Kansas City, MO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Raleigh, NC carries $906 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Raleigh, NC at $1,391 per resident and in Kansas City, MO at $1,309.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Raleigh, NC at 47% of total revenue, whereas Kansas City, MO relies most on other revenue at 835%.
Summary
Kansas City spends 39.0% more per capita than Raleigh ($8,909/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 | $623 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $3,794 |
| Other | $4,740 | $11,150 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $119 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $0 |
| Education | $6 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $3,018 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $1,849 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $1,309 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $4,681 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $3,123 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $0 |
| Other | $3,646 | $8,721 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.