Mesa, AZ vs Minneapolis, MN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Minneapolis, MN outspends Mesa, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $21,910 versus $12,768, a 72% 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 65/100 (grade B) for Minneapolis, MN — a 25-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $644 for Minneapolis, MN. 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 Minneapolis, MN at $3,486.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Mesa, AZ at 9% of total revenue, whereas Minneapolis, MN relies most on other revenue at 17%.
Summary
Minneapolis spends 41.7% more per capita than Mesa ($9,142/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 | $1,989 |
| Income Tax | $1,376 | $994 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,383 | $2,929 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,334 | $2,040 |
| Other | $2,253 | $3,254 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $422 | $683 |
| Highways & Roads | $192 | $221 |
| Public Welfare | $829 | $1,500 |
| Health | $147 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $537 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $953 | $3,486 |
| Housing | $4,190 | $4,133 |
| Sewerage | $38 | $570 |
| Utilities | $2,376 | $2,398 |
| Other | $3,082 | $8,919 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.