Phoenix, AZ vs Dallas, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dallas, TX outspends Phoenix, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $34,849 versus $15,793, a 121% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Phoenix, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Dallas, TX — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Dallas, TX reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Phoenix, AZ carries $1,156 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Phoenix, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $652 per resident, while Dallas, TX leads with police at $1,519.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Dallas, TX.
Summary
Dallas spends 54.7% more per capita than Phoenix ($19,056/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 | $9 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $25 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $1,223 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $0 |
| Other | $2,038 | $584 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,519 |
| Fire Protection | $170 | $305 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $201 |
| Education | $214 | $62 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $215 |
| Health | $258 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $385 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $0 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $444 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $833 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $0 |
| General Admin | $0 | $25,827 |
| Other | $3,878 | $5,059 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.