Arlington, TX vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Mesa, AZ and Arlington, TX spend within 8.5% of each other per resident — $12,768 versus $11,769 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Mesa, AZ edges Arlington, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 90/100 (grade A) to 83/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $594 for Arlington, TX. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Arlington, TX at $1,352 per resident and in Mesa, AZ at $953.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Arlington, TX at 41% of total revenue, whereas Mesa, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 9%.
Summary
Mesa spends 7.8% more per capita than Arlington ($999/person difference). Mesa, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $507 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $73 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $25,062 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,949 | $3,334 |
| Other | $3,897 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $160 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $149 | $192 |
| Public Welfare | $826 | $829 |
| Health | $219 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $152 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,352 | $953 |
| Housing | $2,981 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $141 | $38 |
| Utilities | $1,385 | $2,376 |
| Other | $4,404 | $3,082 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.