Cincinnati, OH vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cincinnati, OH spends 31% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $24,651 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Cincinnati, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 33-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Cincinnati, OH reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, OH carries $1,145 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 Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Cincinnati spends 30.7% more per capita than Columbus ($5,793/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 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $988 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $22 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $738 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $6,264 | $2,389 |
| Other | $2,429 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,931 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $259 | $224 |
| Public Welfare | $988 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $1,630 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,030 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $5,569 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $312 | $1 |
| Utilities | $5,619 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $435 | $0 |
| Other | $5,878 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.