Chicago, IL vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Tucson, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $15,759, a 119% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Chicago, IL edges Tucson, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 61/100 (grade C) to 55/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Chicago, IL carries the lighter load at $977 per resident versus $1,540 for Tucson, AZ. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754 per resident, while Tucson, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $1,229.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Chicago, IL and 100% in Tucson, AZ.
Summary
Chicago spends 119.2% more per capita than Tucson ($18,792/person difference). Chicago, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $26 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $74 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $229 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $85,083 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,847 | $4,534 |
| Other | $3,463 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $10,754 | $330 |
| Highways & Roads | $930 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,858 | $1,181 |
| Health | $426 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,444 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $122 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $6,520 | $3,091 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,983 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,735 |
| Other | $9,385 | $3,322 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.