Washington, DC vs Virginia Beach, VA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Washington, DC outspends Virginia Beach, VA by a wide margin per resident — $243,341 versus $42,515, a 472% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Virginia Beach, VA edges Washington, DC on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 47/100 (grade D) to 41/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 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 Virginia Beach, VA at $21,342.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 7% of total revenue in Washington, DC and 100% in Virginia Beach, VA.
Summary
Washington spends 472.4% more per capita than Virginia Beach ($200,826/person difference). Virginia Beach, VA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (D, 47/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $25 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $991 | $673 |
| Income Tax | $141 | $831 |
| Intergovernmental | $18,754 | $31,808 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,070 | $1,462 |
| Other | $11,518 | $3,301 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,183 | $1,126 |
| Fire Protection | $4,262 | $512 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,435 | $0 |
| Education | $53,224 | $21,342 |
| Public Welfare | $2,498 | $2,071 |
| Health | $1,009 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $17,668 | $1,036 |
| Parks & Recreation | $5,459 | $1,574 |
| Housing | $10,296 | $2,788 |
| Sewerage | $2,881 | $140 |
| Utilities | $88,990 | $3,523 |
| Interest on Debt | $58 | $0 |
| General Admin | $3,225 | $0 |
| Other | $48,155 | $7,978 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.