Tucson, AZ vs Houston, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tucson, AZ and Houston, TX spend within 9.4% of each other per resident — $15,759 versus $14,400 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Houston, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 28-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Houston, TX carries the lighter load at $863 per resident versus $1,540 for Tucson, AZ. 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 Houston, TX at $361.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Tucson, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Houston, TX relies most on other revenue at 7%.
Summary
Tucson spends 9.4% more per capita than Houston ($1,359/person difference). Houston, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $181 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $39 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $33 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $3,475 |
| Other | $952 | $3,960 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $330 | $295 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $175 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $533 |
| Health | $0 | $210 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $511 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $361 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $4,288 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $386 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $1,339 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $0 |
| Other | $3,322 | $6,301 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.