Surprise, AZ vs Tempe, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tempe, AZ spends 57% more per resident than Surprise, AZ: $22,717 against $14,436. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Tempe, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 81/100 (grade A) against 59/100 (grade C) for Surprise, AZ — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Surprise, AZ carries the lighter load at $309 per resident versus $477 for Tempe, 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 Tempe, AZ at $996.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Surprise, AZ and 7% in Tempe, AZ.
Summary
Tempe spends 36.5% more per capita than Surprise ($8,281/person difference). Tempe, AZ has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 81/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $3 |
| Sales Tax | $100 | $353 |
| Income Tax | $673 | $1,152 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,454 | $3,872 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,036 | $2,554 |
| Other | $2,972 | $3,054 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $870 | $425 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $603 |
| Public Welfare | $2,361 | $985 |
| Health | $0 | $189 |
| Hospitals | $1,200 | $865 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,032 | $996 |
| Housing | $2,769 | $6,386 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $577 |
| Utilities | $1,764 | $2,702 |
| Interest on Debt | $38 | $2,731 |
| Other | $3,403 | $6,258 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.