Mesa, AZ vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Raleigh, NC and Mesa, AZ spend within 9.0% of each other per resident — $13,911 versus $12,768 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 76/100 (grade B) for Raleigh, NC — a 14-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $906 for Raleigh, NC. 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 Raleigh, NC at $1,391.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Mesa, AZ at 9% of total revenue, whereas Raleigh, NC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 47%.
Summary
Raleigh spends 8.2% more per capita than Mesa ($1,143/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 | $858 |
| Income Tax | $1,376 | $806 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,383 | $14,128 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,334 | $2,681 |
| Other | $2,253 | $4,740 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $422 | $277 |
| Highways & Roads | $192 | $448 |
| Education | $0 | $6 |
| Public Welfare | $829 | $498 |
| Health | $147 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $537 | $669 |
| Parks & Recreation | $953 | $1,391 |
| Housing | $4,190 | $2,712 |
| Sewerage | $38 | $281 |
| Utilities | $2,376 | $2,469 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,513 |
| Other | $3,082 | $3,646 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.