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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Cincinnati, OH

Population: 308,870 (2022) · Large Cities (250K+)

A
85/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$7.6B
Per Capita
$24,651
Total Revenue
$12.4B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
23.8%$1.8B
Utilities
22.8%$1.7B
Housing & Community Development
22.6%$1.7B
Parks & Recreation
8.2%$627.0M
Fire Protection
7.8%$596.5M
Hospitals
6.6%$503.4M
Public Welfare
4.0%$305.1M
Interest on Debt
1.8%$134.3M
Sewerage
1.3%$96.3M
Highways & Roads
1.1%$80.0M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
2.5%$305.1M
Income Tax
0.1%$6.9M
Intergovernmental
1.8%$228.0M
Charges & Fees
15.6%$1.9B
Other
6.1%$750.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$1,931/person
Highways & Roads$259/person
Parks & Recreation$2,030/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)67/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Cincinnati stacks up against another city.

vs Columbus, OHvs Cleveland, OHvs Toledo, OH
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Ohio

Columbus, OH

Pop. 902K

C
Total Spending
$17.0B
Per Capita
$18,858

Cleveland, OH

Pop. 370K

B
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$23,088

Toledo, OH

Pop. 270K

C
Total Spending
$1.4B
Per Capita
$5,129

Akron, OH

Pop. 190K

B
Total Spending
$3.7B
Per Capita
$19,638

Compare Cincinnati With

Columbus, OH

Spending: $18,858/person · Grade: C

Cleveland, OH

Spending: $23,088/person · Grade: B

Toledo, OH

Spending: $5,129/person · Grade: C

Akron, OH

Spending: $19,638/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Cincinnati, OH spends $24,651 per resident, based on total expenditures of $7.6B for a population of 308,870. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100).

Cincinnati, OH has total expenditures of $7.6B and total revenue of $12.4B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Cincinnati, OH employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Cincinnati, OH has a Fiscal Health Score of A (85/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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