Albuquerque, NM vs Memphis, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Memphis, TN spends 28% more per resident than Albuquerque, NM: $22,111 against $17,237. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Albuquerque, NM holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 81/100 (grade A) against 65/100 (grade B) for Memphis, TN — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Memphis, TN carries the lighter load at $303 per resident versus $613 for Albuquerque, NM. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Albuquerque, NM at $1,990 per resident and in Memphis, TN at $1,397.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Albuquerque, NM at 11% of total revenue, whereas Memphis, TN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Memphis spends 22.0% more per capita than Albuquerque ($4,873/person difference). Albuquerque, NM has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 81/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $36 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $355 | $496 |
| Income Tax | $1,580 | $1,218 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,897 | $34,065 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,633 | $2,077 |
| Other | $2,174 | $3,994 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $440 | $469 |
| Highways & Roads | $172 | $277 |
| Public Welfare | $419 | $630 |
| Health | $291 | $391 |
| Hospitals | $328 | $1,677 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,990 | $1,397 |
| Housing | $4,080 | $4,683 |
| Utilities | $5,212 | $2,578 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,096 | $1,158 |
| Other | $3,209 | $8,850 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.