Dallas, TX vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dallas, TX outspends Tucson, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $34,849 versus $15,759, a 121% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Dallas, TX edges Tucson, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 57/100 (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.
Dallas, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Tucson, AZ carries $1,540 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Dallas, TX leads with police at $1,519 per resident, while Tucson, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $1,229.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 22% of total revenue in Dallas, TX and 100% in Tucson, AZ.
Summary
Dallas spends 121.1% more per capita than Tucson ($19,090/person difference). Dallas, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 57/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $9 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $25 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,223 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $4,534 |
| Other | $584 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $305 | $330 |
| Highways & Roads | $201 | $0 |
| Education | $62 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $215 | $1,181 |
| Hospitals | $385 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $444 | $3,091 |
| Utilities | $833 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,735 |
| General Admin | $25,827 | $0 |
| Other | $5,059 | $3,322 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.