Gilbert, AZ vs Surprise, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Surprise, AZ spends 28% more per resident than Gilbert, AZ: $14,436 against $11,239. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Gilbert, AZ edges Surprise, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 60/100 (grade C) to 59/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Surprise, AZ carries the lighter load at $309 per resident versus $1,867 for Gilbert, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Gilbert, AZ at $1,066 per resident and in Surprise, AZ at $2,032.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Gilbert, AZ and 100% in Surprise, AZ.
Summary
Surprise spends 22.1% more per capita than Gilbert ($3,197/person difference). Gilbert, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 60/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $2 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $244 | $100 |
| Income Tax | $1,096 | $673 |
| Intergovernmental | $35,750 | $3,454 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,411 | $1,036 |
| Other | $1,553 | $2,972 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $39 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $133 | $870 |
| Highways & Roads | $191 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $955 | $2,361 |
| Health | $142 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $29 | $1,200 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,066 | $2,032 |
| Housing | $2,707 | $2,769 |
| Sewerage | $208 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,287 | $1,764 |
| Interest on Debt | $25 | $38 |
| Other | $3,455 | $3,403 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.