Springfield, MA vs Worcester, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Springfield, MA spends 56% more per resident than Worcester, MA: $65,626 against $42,049. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Worcester, MA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 58/100 (grade C) against 44/100 (grade D) for Springfield, MA — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Springfield, MA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Worcester, MA carries $456 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Springfield, MA at $47,090 per resident and in Worcester, MA at $28,887.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Springfield, MA and 9% in Worcester, MA.
Summary
Springfield spends 56.1% more per capita than Worcester ($23,577/person difference). Worcester, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 58/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $34 | $457 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $231 |
| Intergovernmental | $15,275 | $4,140 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,465 |
| Other | $770 | $3,233 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $829 | $186 |
| Highways & Roads | $308 | $163 |
| Education | $47,090 | $28,887 |
| Public Welfare | $640 | $889 |
| Health | $453 | $349 |
| Hospitals | $861 | $534 |
| Parks & Recreation | $673 | $461 |
| Housing | $3,784 | $2,901 |
| Sewerage | $282 | $209 |
| Utilities | $200 | $1,046 |
| Other | $10,507 | $6,424 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.