Glendale, AZ vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Glendale, AZ spends 44% more per resident than Mesa, AZ: $18,356 against $12,768. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 80/100 (grade A) for Glendale, AZ — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Glendale, AZ carries the lighter load at $227 per resident versus $469 for Mesa, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Glendale, AZ at $1,295 per resident and in Mesa, AZ at $953.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Glendale, AZ at 7% of total revenue, whereas Mesa, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 9%.
Summary
Glendale spends 43.8% more per capita than Mesa ($5,588/person difference). Mesa, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $269 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $520 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,381 | $3,334 |
| Other | $2,772 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $377 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $280 | $192 |
| Education | $13 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,522 | $829 |
| Health | $266 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $1,555 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,295 | $953 |
| Housing | $5,079 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $193 | $38 |
| Utilities | $3,088 | $2,376 |
| Interest on Debt | $980 | $0 |
| Other | $3,709 | $3,082 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.