Glendale, AZ vs Tempe, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tempe, AZ spends 24% more per resident than Glendale, AZ: $22,717 against $18,356. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Tempe, AZ edges Glendale, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 81/100 (grade A) to 80/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Glendale, AZ carries the lighter load at $227 per resident versus $477 for Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ at $996.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Glendale, AZ at 7% of total revenue, whereas Tempe, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 7%.
Summary
Tempe spends 19.2% more per capita than Glendale ($4,361/person difference). Tempe, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 81/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $3 |
| Sales Tax | $269 | $353 |
| Income Tax | $520 | $1,152 |
| Intergovernmental | $7 | $3,872 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,381 | $2,554 |
| Other | $2,772 | $3,054 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $377 | $425 |
| Highways & Roads | $280 | $603 |
| Education | $13 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,522 | $985 |
| Health | $266 | $189 |
| Hospitals | $1,555 | $865 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,295 | $996 |
| Housing | $5,079 | $6,386 |
| Sewerage | $193 | $577 |
| Utilities | $3,088 | $2,702 |
| Interest on Debt | $980 | $2,731 |
| Other | $3,709 | $6,258 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.