Richmond, VA vs Norfolk, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Richmond, VA spends 21% more per resident than Norfolk, VA: $61,661 against $50,880. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Norfolk, VA edges Richmond, VA on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 46/100 (grade D) to 45/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Richmond, VA carries the lighter load at $1,304 per resident versus $1,370 for Norfolk, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Richmond, VA at $20,033 per resident and in Norfolk, VA at $19,019.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Richmond, VA at 10% of total revenue, whereas Norfolk, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Richmond spends 21.2% more per capita than Norfolk ($10,782/person difference). Norfolk, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 46/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $97 |
| Sales Tax | $930 | $1,289 |
| Income Tax | $879 | $896 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,985 | $4,946 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,949 | $4,679 |
| Other | $7,690 | $3,596 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,108 | $1,718 |
| Fire Protection | $921 | $832 |
| Highways & Roads | $738 | $1,186 |
| Education | $20,033 | $19,019 |
| Public Welfare | $1,535 | $1,311 |
| Health | $341 | $519 |
| Hospitals | $3,770 | $5,390 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,154 | $1,601 |
| Housing | $5,951 | $3,939 |
| Sewerage | $17 | $96 |
| Utilities | $7,265 | $5,495 |
| Interest on Debt | $3,048 | $0 |
| Other | $14,781 | $9,773 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.