Mesa, AZ vs Detroit, MI
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Detroit, MI outspends Mesa, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $31,087 versus $12,768, a 143% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 69/100 (grade B) for Detroit, MI — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $776 for Detroit, MI. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Mesa, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $953 per resident, while Detroit, MI leads with fire protection at $2,429.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Mesa, AZ at 9% of total revenue, whereas Detroit, MI relies most on other revenue at 15%.
Summary
Detroit spends 58.9% more per capita than Mesa ($18,319/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 | $44 |
| Sales Tax | $463 | $200 |
| Income Tax | $1,376 | $1,045 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,383 | $291 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,334 | $2,228 |
| Other | $2,253 | $6,892 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $422 | $2,429 |
| Highways & Roads | $192 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $829 | $833 |
| Health | $147 | $396 |
| Hospitals | $537 | $2,217 |
| Parks & Recreation | $953 | $950 |
| Housing | $4,190 | $5,791 |
| Sewerage | $38 | $451 |
| Utilities | $2,376 | $2,737 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,068 |
| Other | $3,082 | $13,216 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.