Washington, DC vs Oklahoma City, OK
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Oklahoma City, OK by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $18,074, a 1246% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Oklahoma City, OK holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 41/100 (grade D) for Washington, DC — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Washington, DC carries the lighter load at $2,516 per resident versus $3,520 for Oklahoma City, OK. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Washington, DC leads with education at $53,224 per resident, while Oklahoma City, OK leads with parks and recreation at $2,014.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 7% of total revenue in Washington, DC and 19% in Oklahoma City, OK.
Summary
Washington spends 1246.4% more per capita than Oklahoma City ($225,267/person difference). Oklahoma City, OK has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $25 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $991 | $763 |
| Income Tax | $141 | $1,037 |
| Intergovernmental | $18,754 | $6,852 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,070 | $3,256 |
| Other | $11,518 | $1,836 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,183 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $4,262 | $513 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,435 | $0 |
| Education | $53,224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $2,498 | $1,525 |
| Health | $1,009 | $5 |
| Hospitals | $17,668 | $2,044 |
| Parks & Recreation | $5,459 | $2,014 |
| Housing | $10,296 | $2,857 |
| Sewerage | $2,881 | $0 |
| Utilities | $88,990 | $4,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $58 | $707 |
| General Admin | $3,225 | $0 |
| Other | $48,155 | $3,886 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.