Richmond, VA vs Roanoke, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Richmond, VA outspends Roanoke, VA by a wide margin per resident — $61,661 versus $38,513, a 60% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Roanoke, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 59/100 (grade C) against 45/100 (grade D) for Richmond, VA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Roanoke, VA carries the lighter load at $7 per resident versus $1,304 for Richmond, 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 Roanoke, VA at $18,609.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 10% of total revenue in Richmond, VA and 13% in Roanoke, VA.
Summary
Richmond spends 60.1% more per capita than Roanoke ($23,148/person difference). Roanoke, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $930 | $472 |
| Income Tax | $879 | $386 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,985 | $1,358 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,949 | $0 |
| Other | $7,690 | $2,424 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,108 | $1,543 |
| Fire Protection | $921 | $235 |
| Highways & Roads | $738 | $1,357 |
| Education | $20,033 | $18,609 |
| Public Welfare | $1,535 | $0 |
| Health | $341 | $573 |
| Hospitals | $3,770 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,154 | $950 |
| Housing | $5,951 | $2,054 |
| Sewerage | $17 | $112 |
| Utilities | $7,265 | $3,633 |
| Interest on Debt | $3,048 | $0 |
| Other | $14,781 | $8,936 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.