Surprise, AZ vs Scottsdale, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Surprise, AZ outspends Scottsdale, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $14,436 versus $21, a 67222% 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 Surprise, 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 $309 for Surprise, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Surprise, AZ at $2,032 per resident and in Scottsdale, AZ at $2.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Surprise, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Scottsdale, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 13%.
Summary
Surprise spends 67221.5% more per capita than Scottsdale ($14,415/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 | $100 | $1 |
| Income Tax | $673 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,454 | $4 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,036 | $5 |
| Other | $2,972 | $4 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $870 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $2,361 | $1 |
| Health | $0 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,200 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,032 | $2 |
| Housing | $2,769 | $5 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,764 | $4 |
| Interest on Debt | $38 | $0 |
| Other | $3,403 | $8 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.