Tucson, AZ vs Fort Worth, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fort Worth, TX and Tucson, AZ spend within 1.1% of each other per resident — $15,939 versus $15,759 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Fort Worth, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Tucson, AZ carries the lighter load at $1,540 per resident versus $1,921 for Fort Worth, TX. 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 Fort Worth, TX at $708.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Tucson, AZ and 15% in Fort Worth, TX.
Summary
Fort Worth spends 1.1% more per capita than Tucson ($180/person difference). Fort Worth, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 63/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $198 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $851 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $4,002 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $3,594 |
| Other | $952 | $3,439 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $330 | $156 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $317 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $869 |
| Health | $0 | $235 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $1,680 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $708 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $4,217 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $267 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $2,674 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $0 |
| Other | $3,322 | $4,817 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.