Cincinnati, OH vs Cleveland, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cincinnati, OH and Cleveland, OH spend within 6.8% of each other per resident — $24,651 versus $23,088 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Cincinnati, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 69/100 (grade B) for Cleveland, OH — a 16-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Cincinnati, OH reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Cleveland, OH carries $1,253 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Cincinnati, OH at $2,030 per resident and in Cleveland, OH at $879.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Cincinnati, OH at 16% of total revenue, whereas Cleveland, OH relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 16%.
Summary
Cincinnati spends 6.8% more per capita than Cleveland ($1,564/person difference). Cincinnati, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $470 |
| Sales Tax | $988 | $230 |
| Income Tax | $22 | $404 |
| Intergovernmental | $738 | $12,511 |
| Charges & Fees | $6,264 | $8,026 |
| Other | $2,429 | $1,801 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $134 |
| Fire Protection | $1,931 | $633 |
| Highways & Roads | $259 | $221 |
| Education | $0 | $65 |
| Public Welfare | $988 | $184 |
| Hospitals | $1,630 | $147 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,030 | $879 |
| Housing | $5,569 | $6,008 |
| Sewerage | $312 | $250 |
| Utilities | $5,619 | $5,621 |
| Interest on Debt | $435 | $0 |
| Other | $5,878 | $8,945 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.