Phoenix, AZ vs Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY spends 28% more per resident than Phoenix, AZ: $20,200 against $15,793. 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 35/100 (grade D) for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY — a 32-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Phoenix, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,156 per resident versus $3,553 for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Phoenix, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $652 per resident, while Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY leads with fire protection at $1,132.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Phoenix, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY relies most on other revenue at 103%.
Summary
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) spends 21.8% more per capita than Phoenix ($4,407/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 | $1,138 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $24 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $412 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $3,823 |
| Other | $2,038 | $8,878 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $701 |
| Fire Protection | $170 | $1,132 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $0 |
| Education | $214 | $956 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $1,849 |
| Health | $258 | $379 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $779 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $1,070 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $2,382 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $249 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $3,844 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $1,517 |
| Other | $3,878 | $5,344 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.