Richmond, VA vs Hampton, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Richmond, VA spends 35% more per resident than Hampton, VA: $61,661 against $45,522. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Hampton, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 60/100 (grade C) against 45/100 (grade D) for Richmond, VA — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Hampton, VA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Richmond, VA carries $1,304 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Richmond, VA at $20,033 per resident and in Hampton, VA at $21,725.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 10% of total revenue in Richmond, VA and 8% in Hampton, VA.
Summary
Richmond spends 35.5% more per capita than Hampton ($16,139/person difference). Hampton, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 60/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $930 | $1,697 |
| Income Tax | $879 | $1,516 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,985 | $1 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,949 | $0 |
| Other | $7,690 | $2,522 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,108 | $1,158 |
| Fire Protection | $921 | $730 |
| Highways & Roads | $738 | $392 |
| Education | $20,033 | $21,725 |
| Public Welfare | $1,535 | $249 |
| Health | $341 | $252 |
| Hospitals | $3,770 | $3,201 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,154 | $3,179 |
| Housing | $5,951 | $2,418 |
| Sewerage | $17 | $87 |
| Utilities | $7,265 | $4,239 |
| Interest on Debt | $3,048 | $0 |
| Other | $14,781 | $7,892 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.