Akron, OH vs Dayton, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Akron, OH spends 16% more per resident than Dayton, OH: $19,638 against $16,978. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Akron, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 73/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Dayton, OH — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Akron, OH reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Dayton, OH carries $16 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Akron, OH at $922 per resident and in Dayton, OH at $855.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Akron, OH at 100% of total revenue, whereas Dayton, OH relies most on other revenue at 52%.
Summary
Akron spends 15.7% more per capita than Dayton ($2,660/person difference). Akron, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 73/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $30 |
| Sales Tax | $148 | $210 |
| Intergovernmental | $23,016 | $2,236 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,806 | $3,744 |
| Other | $6,798 | $5,977 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $922 | $855 |
| Public Welfare | $0 | $2,147 |
| Hospitals | $4,350 | $677 |
| Parks & Recreation | $689 | $232 |
| Housing | $3,898 | $4,133 |
| Sewerage | $8 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,689 | $2,873 |
| Other | $6,081 | $6,059 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.