Phoenix, AZ vs Colorado Springs, CO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Phoenix, AZ spends 19% more per resident than Colorado Springs, CO: $15,793 against $13,222. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Phoenix, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 59/100 (grade C) for Colorado Springs, CO — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Phoenix, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,156 per resident versus $3,063 for Colorado Springs, CO. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Phoenix, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $652 per resident, while Colorado Springs, CO leads with fire protection at $1,266.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Phoenix, AZ and 13% in Colorado Springs, CO.
Summary
Phoenix spends 19.4% more per capita than Colorado Springs ($2,570/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 | $7 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $257 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $6,902 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $5,676 |
| Other | $2,038 | $2,678 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $170 | $1,266 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $0 |
| Education | $214 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $575 |
| Health | $258 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $416 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $376 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $2,713 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $2,566 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $190 |
| Other | $3,878 | $5,120 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.