Fresno, CA vs Memphis, TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fresno, CA outspends Memphis, TN by a wide margin per resident — $43,387 versus $22,111, a 96% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Memphis, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Memphis, TN carries $303 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Fresno, CA leads with education at $3,942 per resident, while Memphis, TN leads with parks and recreation at $1,397.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas Memphis, TN relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Fresno spends 96.2% more per capita than Memphis ($21,276/person difference). Memphis, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $337 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $496 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $1,218 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $34,065 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $2,077 |
| Other | $2,070 | $3,994 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $469 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $277 |
| Education | $3,942 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $630 |
| Health | $599 | $391 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,677 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $1,397 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $4,683 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $2,578 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $1,158 |
| Other | $14,545 | $8,850 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.