Austin, TX vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX spends 15% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $21,772 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $1,229 for Austin, TX. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Austin, TX at $1,801 per resident and in Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Austin spends 15.5% more per capita than Columbus ($2,914/person difference). Austin, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $526 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $1,465 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,031 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,247 | $2,389 |
| Other | $5,645 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $634 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $224 |
| Education | $51 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,837 | $878 |
| Health | $517 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $664 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,801 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $3,741 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $865 | $1 |
| Utilities | $3,264 | $1,719 |
| Other | $8,399 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.