Chicago, IL vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Mesa, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $12,768, a 171% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 61/100 (grade C) for Chicago, IL — a 29-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $977 for Chicago, IL. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754 per resident, while Mesa, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $953.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Chicago, IL at 100% of total revenue, whereas Mesa, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 9%.
Summary
Chicago spends 170.6% more per capita than Mesa ($21,783/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 | $26 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $74 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $229 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $85,083 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,847 | $3,334 |
| Other | $3,463 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $10,754 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $930 | $192 |
| Public Welfare | $1,858 | $829 |
| Health | $426 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $1,444 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $122 | $953 |
| Housing | $6,520 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $38 |
| Utilities | $2,983 | $2,376 |
| Other | $9,385 | $3,082 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.