Shreveport, LA vs New Orleans, LA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
New Orleans, LA outspends Shreveport, LA by a wide margin per resident — $32,984 versus $17,313, a 91% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Shreveport, LA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for New Orleans, LA — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Shreveport, LA carries the lighter load at $1,271 per resident versus $2,288 for New Orleans, LA. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Shreveport, LA leads with parks and recreation at $1,799 per resident, while New Orleans, LA leads with fire protection at $1,044.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 8% of total revenue in Shreveport, LA and 18% in New Orleans, LA.
Summary
New Orleans spends 47.5% more per capita than Shreveport ($15,671/person difference). Shreveport, LA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $62 |
| Sales Tax | $872 | $327 |
| Income Tax | $653 | $993 |
| Intergovernmental | $48 | $3,013 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,867 | $3,241 |
| Other | $3,306 | $5,501 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $241 | $1,044 |
| Highways & Roads | $235 | $271 |
| Education | $0 | $951 |
| Public Welfare | $212 | $1,197 |
| Health | $860 | $507 |
| Hospitals | $2,034 | $5,002 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,799 | $966 |
| Housing | $3,509 | $4,479 |
| Sewerage | $235 | $161 |
| Utilities | $1,995 | $4,300 |
| Interest on Debt | $810 | $0 |
| General Admin | $0 | $1,865 |
| Other | $5,384 | $12,243 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.