Mesa, AZ vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Mesa, AZ and Arlington, TX spend within 8.5% of each other per resident — $12,768 versus $11,769 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Mesa, AZ edges Arlington, TX on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 90/100 (grade A) to 83/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $594 for Arlington, TX. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Mesa, AZ at $953 per resident and in Arlington, TX at $1,352.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Mesa, AZ at 9% of total revenue, whereas Arlington, TX relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 41%.
Summary
Mesa spends 8.5% more per capita than Arlington ($999/person difference). Mesa, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $47 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $463 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $1,376 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,383 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,334 | $2,949 |
| Other | $2,253 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $422 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $192 | $149 |
| Public Welfare | $829 | $826 |
| Health | $147 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $537 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $953 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $4,190 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $38 | $141 |
| Utilities | $2,376 | $1,385 |
| Other | $3,082 | $4,404 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.