Virginia Beach, VA vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boston, MA outspends Virginia Beach, VA by a wide margin per resident — $72,299 versus $42,515, a 70% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Boston, MA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 56/100 (grade C) against 47/100 (grade D) for Virginia Beach, VA — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 per resident versus $445 for Boston, MA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Virginia Beach, VA at $21,342 per resident and in Boston, MA at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Virginia Beach, VA and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Boston spends 41.2% more per capita than Virginia Beach ($29,784/person difference). Boston, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $673 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $831 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $31,808 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,462 | $2,784 |
| Other | $3,301 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,126 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $512 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $594 |
| Education | $21,342 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $2,071 | $1,110 |
| Health | $426 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $1,036 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,574 | $711 |
| Housing | $2,788 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $140 | $355 |
| Utilities | $3,523 | $3,402 |
| General Admin | $0 | $5,401 |
| Other | $7,978 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.