Atlanta, GA vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA outspends Tucson, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $25,457 versus $15,759, a 62% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 30-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Atlanta, GA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Tucson, AZ carries $1,540 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Atlanta, GA at $1,274 per resident and in Tucson, AZ at $1,229.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 6% of total revenue in Atlanta, GA and 100% in Tucson, AZ.
Summary
Atlanta spends 61.5% more per capita than Tucson ($9,698/person difference). Atlanta, GA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $419 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $1,292 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $9,121 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,645 | $4,534 |
| Other | $5,461 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $315 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $464 | $330 |
| Highways & Roads | $513 | $0 |
| Education | $25 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,587 | $1,181 |
| Hospitals | $55 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,274 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $4,594 | $3,091 |
| Sewerage | $343 | $0 |
| Utilities | $8,026 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,735 |
| Other | $8,262 | $3,322 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.