Roanoke, VA vs Norfolk, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Norfolk, VA spends 32% more per resident than Roanoke, VA: $50,880 against $38,513. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Roanoke, VA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 59/100 (grade C) against 46/100 (grade D) for Norfolk, VA — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Roanoke, VA carries the lighter load at $7 per resident versus $1,370 for Norfolk, VA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Roanoke, VA at $18,609 per resident and in Norfolk, VA at $19,019.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Roanoke, VA at 13% of total revenue, whereas Norfolk, VA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Norfolk spends 24.3% more per capita than Roanoke ($12,366/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $97 |
| Sales Tax | $472 | $1,289 |
| Income Tax | $386 | $896 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,358 | $4,946 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $4,679 |
| Other | $2,424 | $3,596 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,543 | $1,718 |
| Fire Protection | $235 | $832 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,357 | $1,186 |
| Education | $18,609 | $19,019 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $1,311 |
| Health | $573 | $519 |
| Hospitals | $511 | $5,390 |
| Parks & Recreation | $950 | $1,601 |
| Housing | $2,054 | $3,939 |
| Sewerage | $112 | $96 |
| Utilities | $3,633 | $5,495 |
| Other | $8,936 | $9,773 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.