Chandler, AZ vs Tempe, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tempe, AZ spends 53% more per resident than Chandler, AZ: $22,717 against $14,811. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Tempe, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 81/100 (grade A) against 59/100 (grade C) for Chandler, AZ — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Chandler, AZ carries the lighter load at $10 per resident versus $477 for Tempe, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Chandler, AZ at $899 per resident and in Tempe, AZ at $996.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Chandler, AZ and 7% in Tempe, AZ.
Summary
Tempe spends 34.8% more per capita than Chandler ($7,906/person difference). Tempe, AZ 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 | $0 | $3 |
| Sales Tax | $90 | $353 |
| Income Tax | $669 | $1,152 |
| Intergovernmental | $10,136 | $3,872 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,938 | $2,554 |
| Other | $3,477 | $3,054 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $260 | $425 |
| Highways & Roads | $306 | $603 |
| Public Welfare | $670 | $985 |
| Health | $243 | $189 |
| Hospitals | $374 | $865 |
| Parks & Recreation | $899 | $996 |
| Housing | $3,286 | $6,386 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $577 |
| Utilities | $2,461 | $2,702 |
| Interest on Debt | $88 | $2,731 |
| Other | $6,223 | $6,258 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.