Phoenix, AZ vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Francisco, CA outspends Phoenix, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $184,131 versus $15,793, a 1066% 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 48/100 (grade D) for San Francisco, CA — a 19-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Phoenix, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,156 per resident versus $2,031 for San Francisco, CA. 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 San Francisco, CA at $4,119.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Phoenix, AZ and 7% in San Francisco, CA.
Summary
San Francisco spends 91.4% more per capita than Phoenix ($168,338/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 | $148 |
| Sales Tax | $338 | $3,028 |
| Income Tax | $1,260 | $269 |
| Intergovernmental | $50,709 | $19,762 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,998 | $7,961 |
| Other | $2,038 | $18,918 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,351 |
| Fire Protection | $170 | $2,281 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $0 |
| Education | $214 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $507 | $2,203 |
| Health | $258 | $1,911 |
| Hospitals | $1,521 | $6,939 |
| Parks & Recreation | $652 | $4,119 |
| Housing | $3,879 | $9,315 |
| Sewerage | $388 | $1,423 |
| Utilities | $2,480 | $21,190 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,760 | $22,798 |
| General Admin | $0 | $14,899 |
| Other | $3,878 | $93,702 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.