Tucson, AZ vs Wichita, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Tucson, AZ outspends Wichita, KS by a wide margin per resident — $15,759 versus $7,986, a 97% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Wichita, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 90/100 (grade A) against 55/100 (grade C) for Tucson, AZ — a 35-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Wichita, KS carries the lighter load at $132 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 Wichita, KS at $874.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Tucson, AZ and 14% in Wichita, KS.
Summary
Tucson spends 97.3% more per capita than Wichita ($7,773/person difference). Wichita, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 90/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $5 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $309 | $246 |
| Income Tax | $1,107 | $57 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,276 | $3,895 |
| Charges & Fees | $4,534 | $3,193 |
| Other | $952 | $2,783 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $330 | $152 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $126 |
| Education | $0 | $2 |
| Public Welfare | $1,181 | $441 |
| Health | $0 | $254 |
| Hospitals | $1,314 | $113 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,229 | $874 |
| Housing | $3,091 | $2,618 |
| Utilities | $3,555 | $1,225 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,735 | $70 |
| Other | $3,322 | $2,111 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.