Oklahoma City, OK vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Oklahoma City, OK and Phoenix, AZ spend within 14.4% of each other per resident — $18,074 versus $15,793 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Phoenix, AZ edges Oklahoma City, OK 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, Phoenix, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,156 per resident versus $3,520 for Oklahoma City, OK. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Oklahoma City, OK at $2,014 per resident and in Phoenix, AZ at $652.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 19% of total revenue in Oklahoma City, OK and 100% in Phoenix, AZ.
Summary
Oklahoma City spends 14.4% more per capita than Phoenix ($2,281/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 | $763 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $1,037 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,852 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,256 | $2,998 |
| Other | $1,836 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $513 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $86 |
| Education | $0 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $1,525 | $507 |
| Health | $5 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $2,044 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,014 | $652 |
| Housing | $2,857 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $388 |
| Utilities | $4,523 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $707 | $1,760 |
| Other | $3,886 | $3,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.