Memphis, TN vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Memphis, TN spends 40% more per resident than Tucson, AZ: $22,111 against $15,759. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Memphis, TN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Memphis, TN carries the lighter load at $303 per resident versus $1,540 for Tucson, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Memphis, TN at $1,397 per resident and in Tucson, AZ at $1,229.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Memphis, TN and 100% in Tucson, AZ.
Summary
Memphis spends 40.3% more per capita than Tucson ($6,352/person difference). Memphis, TN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $496 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $1,218 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $34,065 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,077 | $4,534 |
| Other | $3,994 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $469 | $330 |
| Highways & Roads | $277 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $630 | $1,181 |
| Health | $391 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,677 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,397 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $4,683 | $3,091 |
| Utilities | $2,578 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,158 | $1,735 |
| Other | $8,850 | $3,322 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.