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

Columbus, GA

Population: 204,572 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
82/100

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

Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$15,522
Total Revenue
$4.4B
Total Debt
$7.6M

Spending Breakdown

Other
38.1%$1.2B
Housing & Community Development
17.4%$552.6M
Utilities
12.8%$406.8M
Police
10.4%$329.6M
Public Welfare
8.0%$255.1M
Fire Protection
4.5%$143.0M
Parks & Recreation
4.3%$136.8M
Highways & Roads
2.9%$90.6M
Hospitals
1.1%$34.7M
Sewerage
0.4%$13.5M
Education
0.1%$4.4M

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

Property Tax
0.3%$13.1M
Sales Tax
1.5%$64.4M
Income Tax
3.2%$140.8M
Intergovernmental
3.6%$162.1M
Charges & Fees
10.4%$462.2M
Other
14.7%$655.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$1,611/person
Fire Protection$699/person
Highways & Roads$443/person
Parks & Recreation$669/person
Education$21/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)76/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)88/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$7.6M
Long-Term Debt$119.2M
Debt Per Capita$37
Cash & Securities$49.5M

Compare Cities

See how Columbus stacks up against another city.

vs Atlanta, GAvs Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GAvs Macon-Bibb County, GA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Georgia

Atlanta, GA

Pop. 495K

A
Total Spending
$12.6B
Per Capita
$25,457

Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA

Pop. 202K

B
Total Spending
$3.9B
Per Capita
$19,144

Macon-Bibb County, GA

Pop. 157K

C
Total Spending
$2.3B
Per Capita
$14,678

Savannah, GA

Pop. 148K

C
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$24,281

Compare Columbus With

Atlanta, GA

Spending: $25,457/person · Grade: A

Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA

Spending: $19,144/person · Grade: B

Macon-Bibb County, GA

Spending: $14,678/person · Grade: C

Savannah, GA

Spending: $24,281/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbus, GA spends $15,522 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.2B for a population of 204,572. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (82/100).

Columbus, GA has total expenditures of $3.2B and total revenue of $4.4B. The city carries $7.6M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

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

Columbus, GA has a Fiscal Health Score of A (82/100). 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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