Glendale, AZ vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Glendale, AZ spends 16% more per resident than Phoenix, AZ: $18,356 against $15,793. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Glendale, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 67/100 (grade B) for Phoenix, AZ — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Glendale, AZ carries the lighter load at $227 per resident versus $1,156 for Phoenix, 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 Phoenix, AZ at $652.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Glendale, AZ at 7% of total revenue, whereas Phoenix, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Glendale spends 16.2% more per capita than Phoenix ($2,564/person difference). Glendale, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $7 |
| Sales Tax | $269 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $520 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,381 | $2,998 |
| Other | $2,772 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $377 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $280 | $86 |
| Education | $13 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $1,522 | $507 |
| Health | $266 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $1,555 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,295 | $652 |
| Housing | $5,079 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $193 | $388 |
| Utilities | $3,088 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $980 | $1,760 |
| Other | $3,709 | $3,878 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.