Colorado Springs, CO vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Phoenix, AZ spends 19% more per resident than Colorado Springs, CO: $15,793 against $13,222. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Phoenix, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 59/100 (grade C) for Colorado Springs, CO — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Phoenix, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,156 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Colorado Springs, CO leads with fire protection at $1,266 per resident, while Phoenix, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $652.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 13% of total revenue in Colorado Springs, CO and 100% in Phoenix, AZ.
Summary
Phoenix spends 16.3% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($2,570/person difference). Phoenix, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $7 |
| Sales Tax | $257 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,902 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,676 | $2,998 |
| Other | $2,678 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,266 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $86 |
| Education | $0 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $575 | $507 |
| Health | $0 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $416 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $376 | $652 |
| Housing | $2,713 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $388 |
| Utilities | $2,566 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $190 | $1,760 |
| Other | $5,120 | $3,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.