Tempe, AZ vs Mesa, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tempe, AZ outspends Mesa, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $22,717 versus $12,768, a 78% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Mesa, AZ holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 81/100 (grade A) for Tempe, AZ — a 9-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Mesa, AZ carries the lighter load at $469 per resident versus $477 for Tempe, AZ. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Tempe, AZ at $996 per resident and in Mesa, AZ at $953.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Tempe, AZ at 7% of total revenue, whereas Mesa, AZ relies most on charges and fees at 9%.
Summary
Tempe spends 77.9% more per capita than Mesa ($9,949/person difference). Mesa, 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 | $3 | $47 |
| Sales Tax | $353 | $463 |
| Income Tax | $1,152 | $1,376 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,872 | $1,383 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,554 | $3,334 |
| Other | $3,054 | $2,253 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $425 | $422 |
| Highways & Roads | $603 | $192 |
| Public Welfare | $985 | $829 |
| Health | $189 | $147 |
| Hospitals | $865 | $537 |
| Parks & Recreation | $996 | $953 |
| Housing | $6,386 | $4,190 |
| Sewerage | $577 | $38 |
| Utilities | $2,702 | $2,376 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,731 | $0 |
| Other | $6,258 | $3,082 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.