Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Tempe, AZ

Population: 181,005 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
81/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$4.1B
Per Capita
$22,717
Total Revenue
$10.2B
Total Debt
$86.4M

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
28.1%$1.2B
Other
27.5%$1.1B
Interest on Debt
12.0%$494.4M
Utilities
11.9%$489.1M
Parks & Recreation
4.4%$180.3M
Public Welfare
4.3%$178.3M
Hospitals
3.8%$156.6M
Highways & Roads
2.7%$109.2M
Sewerage
2.5%$104.5M
Fire Protection
1.9%$76.9M
Health
0.8%$34.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.0%$552K
Sales Tax
0.6%$63.8M
Income Tax
2.0%$208.5M
Intergovernmental
6.8%$700.8M
Charges & Fees
4.5%$462.3M
Other
5.4%$552.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$425/person
Highways & Roads$603/person
Parks & Recreation$996/person
Health$189/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)93/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)45/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$86.4M
Long-Term Debt$132.9M
Debt Per Capita$477
Cash & Securities$177.4M

Compare Cities

See how Tempe stacks up against another city.

vs Phoenix, AZvs Tucson, AZvs Mesa, AZ
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Arizona

Phoenix, AZ

Pop. 1.6M

B
Total Spending
$25.4B
Per Capita
$15,793

Tucson, AZ

Pop. 541K

C
Total Spending
$8.5B
Per Capita
$15,759

Mesa, AZ

Pop. 503K

A
Total Spending
$6.4B
Per Capita
$12,768

Chandler, AZ

Pop. 276K

C
Total Spending
$4.1B
Per Capita
$14,811

Compare Tempe With

Phoenix, AZ

Spending: $15,793/person · Grade: B

Tucson, AZ

Spending: $15,759/person · Grade: C

Mesa, AZ

Spending: $12,768/person · Grade: A

Chandler, AZ

Spending: $14,811/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Tempe, AZ spends $22,717 per resident, based on total expenditures of $4.1B for a population of 181,005. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (81/100).

Tempe, AZ has total expenditures of $4.1B and total revenue of $10.2B. The city carries $86.4M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Tempe, AZ employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Tempe, AZ has a Fiscal Health Score of A (81/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: