Phoenix, AZ vs Fresno, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fresno, CA outspends Phoenix, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $43,387 versus $15,793, a 175% 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 50/100 (grade C) for Fresno, CA — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Fresno, CA 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 Fresno, CA leads with education at $3,942.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Phoenix, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Fresno, CA relies most on other revenue at 19%.
Summary
Fresno spends 63.6% more per capita than Phoenix ($27,594/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 | $337 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $19 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $501 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | -$4,470 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $11 |
| Other | $2,038 | $2,070 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,261 |
| Fire Protection | $170 | $568 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $0 |
| Education | $214 | $3,942 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $1,946 |
| Health | $258 | $599 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $76 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $2,856 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $15,340 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $255 |
| Other | $3,878 | $14,545 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.