Phoenix, AZ vs Glendale, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Glendale, AZ spends 16% more per resident than Phoenix, AZ: $18,356 against $15,793. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Glendale, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 80/100 (grade A) against 67/100 (grade B) for Phoenix, AZ — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Glendale, AZ carries the lighter load at $227 per resident versus $1,156 for Phoenix, 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 Glendale, AZ at $1,295.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Phoenix, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Glendale, AZ relies most on other revenue at 7%.
Summary
Glendale spends 14.0% more per capita than Phoenix ($2,564/person difference). Glendale, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 80/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $7 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $269 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $520 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $2,381 |
| Other | $2,038 | $2,772 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $170 | $377 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $280 |
| Education | $214 | $13 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $1,522 |
| Health | $258 | $266 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $1,555 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $1,295 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $5,079 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $193 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $3,088 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $980 |
| Other | $3,878 | $3,709 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.