Scottsdale, AZ vs Tucson, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tucson, AZ outspends Scottsdale, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $15,759 versus $21, a 73390% 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 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 35-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Scottsdale, AZ carries the lighter load at $2 per resident versus $1,540 for Tucson, 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 Tucson, AZ at $1,229.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Scottsdale, AZ at 13% of total revenue, whereas Tucson, AZ relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Tucson spends 99.9% more per capita than Scottsdale ($15,738/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)
| Property Tax | $0 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $1 | $309 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,107 |
| Intergovernmental | $4 | $23,276 |
| Charges & Fees | $5 | $4,534 |
| Other | $4 | $952 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $0 | $330 |
| Public Welfare | $1 | $1,181 |
| Health | $0 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $1,314 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2 | $1,229 |
| Housing | $5 | $3,091 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $0 |
| Utilities | $4 | $3,555 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,735 |
| Other | $8 | $3,322 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.