Glendale, AZ vs Scottsdale, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Glendale, AZ outspends Scottsdale, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $18,356 versus $21, a 85503% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Scottsdale, 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, Scottsdale, AZ carries the lighter load at $2 per resident versus $227 for Glendale, 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 Scottsdale, AZ at $2.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Glendale, AZ at 7% of total revenue, whereas Scottsdale, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 13%.
Summary
Glendale spends 85502.8% more per capita than Scottsdale ($18,335/person difference). Scottsdale, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $269 | $1 |
| Income Tax | $520 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $4 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,381 | $5 |
| Other | $2,772 | $4 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $377 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $280 | $0 |
| Education | $13 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,522 | $1 |
| Health | $266 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,555 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,295 | $2 |
| Housing | $5,079 | $5 |
| Sewerage | $193 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,088 | $4 |
| Interest on Debt | $980 | $0 |
| Other | $3,709 | $8 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.