Tempe, AZ vs Surprise, 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 Tempe, AZ at $996 per resident and in Surprise, AZ at $2,032.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 7% of total revenue in Tempe, AZ and 100% in Surprise, AZ.
Summary
Tempe spends 57.4% 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 | $3 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $353 | $100 |
| Income Tax | $1,152 | $673 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,872 | $3,454 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,554 | $1,036 |
| Other | $3,054 | $2,972 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $425 | $870 |
| Highways & Roads | $603 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $985 | $2,361 |
| Health | $189 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $865 | $1,200 |
| Parks & Recreation | $996 | $2,032 |
| Housing | $6,386 | $2,769 |
| Sewerage | $577 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,702 | $1,764 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,731 | $38 |
| Other | $6,258 | $3,403 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.