Raleigh, NC vs Wichita, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Raleigh, NC outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $13,911 versus $7,986, a 74% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 76/100 (grade B) for Raleigh, NC — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 per resident versus $906 for Raleigh, NC. 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 Wichita, KS at $874.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 47% of total revenue in Raleigh, NC and 14% in Wichita, KS.
Summary
Raleigh spends 74.2% more per capita than Wichita ($5,925/person difference). Wichita, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $858 | $246 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $57 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $3,895 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $3,193 |
| Other | $4,740 | $2,783 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $152 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $126 |
| Education | $6 | $2 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $441 |
| Health | $0 | $254 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $113 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $874 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $2,618 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $1,225 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $70 |
| Other | $3,646 | $2,111 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.