Scottsdale, AZ vs Chandler, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chandler, AZ outspends Scottsdale, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $14,811 versus $21, a 68968% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Scottsdale, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 59/100 (grade C) for Chandler, AZ — a 31-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Scottsdale, AZ carries the lighter load at $2 per resident versus $10 for Chandler, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Scottsdale, AZ at $2 per resident and in Chandler, AZ at $899.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Scottsdale, AZ at 13% of total revenue, whereas Chandler, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Chandler spends 99.9% more per capita than Scottsdale ($14,789/person difference). Scottsdale, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1 | $90 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $669 |
| Intergovernmental | $4 | $10,136 |
| Charges & Fees | $5 | $1,938 |
| Other | $4 | $3,477 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $260 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $306 |
| Public Welfare | $1 | $670 |
| Health | $0 | $243 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $374 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2 | $899 |
| Housing | $5 | $3,286 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $0 |
| Utilities | $4 | $2,461 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $88 |
| Other | $8 | $6,223 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.