Tucson, AZ vs Chicago, IL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Chicago, IL outspends Tucson, AZ by a wide margin per resident — $34,551 versus $15,759, a 119% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Chicago, IL edges Tucson, AZ on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 61/100 (grade C) to 55/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Chicago, IL carries the lighter load at $977 per resident versus $1,540 for Tucson, AZ. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Tucson, AZ leads with parks and recreation at $1,229 per resident, while Chicago, IL leads with fire protection at $10,754.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Tucson, AZ and 100% in Chicago, IL.
Summary
Chicago spends 54.4% more per capita than Tucson ($18,792/person difference). Chicago, IL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 61/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $26 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $74 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $229 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $85,083 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $2,847 |
| Other | $952 | $3,463 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $330 | $10,754 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $930 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $1,858 |
| Health | $0 | $426 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $1,444 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $122 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $6,520 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $129 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $2,983 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $0 |
| Other | $3,322 | $9,385 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.