Charlotte, NC vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Charlotte, NC spends 24% more per resident than Mesa, AZ: $15,854 against $12,768. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 63/100 (grade C) for Charlotte, NC — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Charlotte, NC at $1,571 per resident and in Mesa, AZ at $953.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Charlotte, NC at 10% of total revenue, whereas Mesa, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 9%.
Summary
Charlotte spends 24.2% more per capita than Mesa ($3,085/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 | $541 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $3,334 |
| Other | $4,866 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $192 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $829 |
| Health | $0 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $953 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $38 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $2,376 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $3,082 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.