Phoenix, AZ vs Gilbert, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Phoenix, AZ spends 41% more per resident than Gilbert, AZ: $15,793 against $11,239. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Phoenix, AZ edges Gilbert, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 67/100 (grade B) to 60/100 (grade C). 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 $1,867 for Gilbert, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Phoenix, AZ at $652 per resident and in Gilbert, AZ at $1,066.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Phoenix, AZ and 100% in Gilbert, AZ.
Summary
Phoenix spends 40.5% more per capita than Gilbert ($4,553/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 | $2 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $244 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $1,096 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $35,750 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $2,411 |
| Other | $2,038 | $1,553 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $39 |
| Fire Protection | $170 | $133 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $191 |
| Education | $214 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $955 |
| Health | $258 | $142 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $29 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $1,066 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $2,707 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $208 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $2,287 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $25 |
| Other | $3,878 | $3,455 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.