Washington, DC vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Boston, MA by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $72,299, a 237% 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 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $2,516 for Washington, DC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Washington, DC at $53,224 per resident and in Boston, MA at $30,742.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 7% of total revenue in Washington, DC and 17% in Boston, MA.
Summary
Washington spends 236.6% more per capita than Boston ($171,042/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)
| Property Tax | $25 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $991 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $141 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $18,754 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,070 | $2,784 |
| Other | $11,518 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,183 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $4,262 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,435 | $594 |
| Education | $53,224 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $2,498 | $1,110 |
| Health | $1,009 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $17,668 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $5,459 | $711 |
| Housing | $10,296 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $2,881 | $355 |
| Utilities | $88,990 | $3,402 |
| Interest on Debt | $58 | $0 |
| General Admin | $3,225 | $5,401 |
| Other | $48,155 | $18,955 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.