Minneapolis, MN vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Minneapolis, MN spends 39% more per resident than Phoenix, AZ: $21,910 against $15,793. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Phoenix, AZ edges Minneapolis, MN on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 67/100 (grade B) to 65/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Minneapolis, MN carries the lighter load at $644 per resident versus $1,156 for Phoenix, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Minneapolis, MN at $3,486 per resident and in Phoenix, AZ at $652.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Minneapolis, MN at 17% of total revenue, whereas Phoenix, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Minneapolis spends 38.7% more per capita than Phoenix ($6,117/person difference). Phoenix, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $7 |
| Sales Tax | $1,989 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $994 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,929 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,040 | $2,998 |
| Other | $3,254 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $683 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $86 |
| Education | $0 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $1,500 | $507 |
| Health | $0 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,486 | $652 |
| Housing | $4,133 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $570 | $388 |
| Utilities | $2,398 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,760 |
| Other | $8,919 | $3,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.