Raleigh, NC vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Virginia Beach, VA outspends Raleigh, NC by a wide margin per resident — $42,515 versus $13,911, a 206% 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 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 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 Virginia Beach, VA leads with education at $21,342.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 47% of total revenue in Raleigh, NC and 100% in Virginia Beach, VA.
Summary
Virginia Beach spends 67.3% more per capita than Raleigh ($28,604/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 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $1,462 |
| Other | $4,740 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $277 | $512 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $0 |
| Education | $6 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $2,071 |
| Health | $0 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $140 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $3,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $0 |
| Other | $3,646 | $7,978 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.