Tucson, AZ vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA outspends Tucson, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $25,457 versus $15,759, a 62% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 30-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Atlanta, GA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Tucson, AZ carries $1,540 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Tucson, AZ at $1,229 per resident and in Atlanta, GA at $1,274.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Tucson, AZ and 6% in Atlanta, GA.
Summary
Atlanta spends 38.1% more per capita than Tucson ($9,698/person difference). Atlanta, GA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $5,645 |
| Other | $952 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $330 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $513 |
| Education | $0 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $1,587 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $343 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $8,026 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $0 |
| Other | $3,322 | $8,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.