Reading, PA vs Harrisburg, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Reading, PA outspends Harrisburg, PA by a wide margin per resident — $16,327 versus $73, a 22278% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Harrisburg, PA edges Reading, PA on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 90/100 (grade A) to 86/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Harrisburg, PA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Reading, PA carries $87 per resident.
Summary
Reading spends 22278.5% more per capita than Harrisburg ($16,254/person difference). Harrisburg, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $47 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $60 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $956 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $767 | -$1,698 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,742 | $0 |
| Other | $6,157 | $0 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $256 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $92 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,502 | $0 |
| Health | $180 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $672 | $73 |
| Parks & Recreation | $826 | $0 |
| Housing | $4,415 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,304 | $0 |
| Other | $5,080 | $0 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.