Worcester, MA vs Springfield, 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 Worcester, MA at $28,887 per resident and in Springfield, MA at $47,090.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 9% of total revenue in Worcester, MA and 100% in Springfield, MA.
Summary
Springfield spends 35.9% 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 | $457 | $34 |
| Income Tax | $231 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,140 | $15,275 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,465 | $0 |
| Other | $3,233 | $770 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $186 | $829 |
| Highways & Roads | $163 | $308 |
| Education | $28,887 | $47,090 |
| Public Welfare | $889 | $640 |
| Health | $349 | $453 |
| Hospitals | $534 | $861 |
| Parks & Recreation | $461 | $673 |
| Housing | $2,901 | $3,784 |
| Sewerage | $209 | $282 |
| Utilities | $1,046 | $200 |
| Other | $6,424 | $10,507 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.