Scottsdale, AZ vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Mesa, AZ outspends Scottsdale, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $12,768 versus $21, a 59442% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
On the CitySpend Fiscal Health Score the two are level: Scottsdale, AZ and Mesa, AZ both land at 90/100 (grade A and A respectively), so the deciding factors sit in the underlying six-factor breakdown rather than the rolled-up grade.
On debt, Scottsdale, AZ carries the lighter load at $2 per resident versus $469 for Mesa, 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 Mesa, AZ at $953.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on charges and fees — 13% of total revenue in Scottsdale, AZ and 9% in Mesa, AZ.
Summary
Mesa spends 99.8% more per capita than Scottsdale ($12,747/person difference). Both cities share the same Fiscal Health Score.
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $1 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $4 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $5 | $3,334 |
| Other | $4 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $192 |
| Public Welfare | $1 | $829 |
| Health | $0 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2 | $953 |
| Housing | $5 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $38 |
| Utilities | $4 | $2,376 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $0 |
| Other | $8 | $3,082 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.