Charlotte, NC vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH spends 19% more per resident than Charlotte, NC: $18,858 against $15,854. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Charlotte, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $2,690 for Charlotte, NC. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Charlotte, NC at $1,571 per resident and in Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Columbus spends 15.9% more per capita than Charlotte ($3,005/person difference). Charlotte, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 63/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $541 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $366 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,859 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,459 | $2,389 |
| Other | $4,866 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $463 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $41 | $224 |
| Public Welfare | $672 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $1,243 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,571 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $3,944 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $1 |
| Utilities | $2,244 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $2,226 | $0 |
| Other | $3,448 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.