Raleigh, NC vs Wilmington, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Raleigh, NC and Wilmington, NC spend within 3.5% of each other per resident — $13,911 versus $13,444 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Wilmington, NC 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.
Wilmington, NC 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 Wilmington, NC at $966.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 47% of total revenue in Raleigh, NC and 9% in Wilmington, NC.
Summary
Raleigh spends 3.5% more per capita than Wilmington ($467/person difference). Wilmington, NC 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 | $689 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $2,051 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $0 |
| Other | $4,740 | $1,201 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $305 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $269 |
| Education | $6 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $811 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $1,195 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $966 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $3,380 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $88 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $1,119 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $320 |
| Other | $3,646 | $4,991 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.