Fresno, CA vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fresno, CA outspends Phoenix, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $43,387 versus $15,793, a 175% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Phoenix, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Phoenix, AZ carries $1,156 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Fresno, CA leads with education at $3,942 per resident, while Phoenix, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $652.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fresno, CA at 19% of total revenue, whereas Phoenix, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Fresno spends 174.7% more per capita than Phoenix ($27,594/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 | $337 | $7 |
| Sales Tax | $19 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $501 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | -$4,470 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $11 | $2,998 |
| Other | $2,070 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,261 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $568 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $86 |
| Education | $3,942 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $1,946 | $507 |
| Health | $599 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $76 | $652 |
| Housing | $2,856 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $388 |
| Utilities | $15,340 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $255 | $1,760 |
| Other | $14,545 | $3,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.