Las Vegas, NV vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tucson, AZ outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $15,759 versus $9,085, a 73% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 82/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Las Vegas, NV reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Tucson, AZ carries $1,540 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Las Vegas, NV at $1,028 per resident and in Tucson, AZ at $1,229.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Las Vegas, NV at 34% of total revenue, whereas Tucson, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Tucson spends 42.3% more per capita than Las Vegas ($6,674/person difference). Las Vegas, NV has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 82/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $50 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $386 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,137 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $4,534 |
| Other | $2,806 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $945 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $280 | $330 |
| Highways & Roads | $45 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $705 | $1,181 |
| Hospitals | $356 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,028 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $23 | $3,091 |
| Sewerage | $332 | $0 |
| Utilities | $129 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,735 |
| Other | $5,243 | $3,322 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.