Tucson, AZ vs Las Vegas, NV
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tucson, AZ outspends Las Vegas, NV by a wide margin per resident — $15,759 versus $9,085, a 73% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Las Vegas, NV holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 82/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Las Vegas, NV 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 Las Vegas, NV at $1,028.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Tucson, AZ at 100% of total revenue, whereas Las Vegas, NV relies most on other revenue at 34%.
Summary
Tucson spends 73.5% more per capita than Las Vegas ($6,674/person difference). Las Vegas, NV has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 82/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $50 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $386 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $1,137 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $0 |
| Other | $952 | $2,806 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $945 |
| Fire Protection | $330 | $280 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $45 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $705 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $356 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $1,028 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $23 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $332 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $129 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $0 |
| Other | $3,322 | $5,243 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.