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

Columbia, MO

Population: 126,172 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
71/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$13,757
Total Revenue
$3.0B
Total Debt
$22.0M

Spending Breakdown

Other
44.3%$768.5M
Utilities
22.7%$394.2M
Housing & Community Development
12.3%$213.4M
Parks & Recreation
8.0%$138.7M
Public Welfare
6.5%$113.6M
Interest on Debt
3.0%$52.9M
Fire Protection
2.6%$44.7M
Hospitals
0.6%$9.8M

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
2.8%$84.2M
Income Tax
8.9%$266.2M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$3.0B
Charges & Fees
9.7%$289.3M
Other
11.2%$332.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$355/person
Parks & Recreation$1,099/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)66/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)98/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$22.0M
Long-Term Debt$41.2M
Debt Per Capita$175
Cash & Securities$16.9M

Compare Cities

See how Columbia stacks up against another city.

vs Kansas City, MOvs St. Louis, MOvs Springfield, MO
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Missouri

Kansas City, MO

Pop. 506K

C
Total Spending
$11.5B
Per Capita
$22,820

St. Louis, MO

Pop. 298K

B
Total Spending
$5.3B
Per Capita
$17,927

Springfield, MO

Pop. 169K

A
Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$15,703

Independence, MO

Pop. 122K

A
Total Spending
$999.2M
Per Capita
$8,176

Compare Columbia With

Kansas City, MO

Spending: $22,820/person · Grade: C

St. Louis, MO

Spending: $17,927/person · Grade: B

Springfield, MO

Spending: $15,703/person · Grade: A

Independence, MO

Spending: $8,176/person · Grade: A

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia, MO spends $13,757 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.7B for a population of 126,172. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (71/100).

Columbia, MO has total expenditures of $1.7B and total revenue of $3.0B. The city carries $22.0M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Columbia, MO has a Fiscal Health Score of B (71/100). 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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