Cleveland, OH vs Cincinnati, 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 Cleveland, OH at $879 per resident and in Cincinnati, OH at $2,030.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Cleveland, OH at 16% of total revenue, whereas Cincinnati, OH relies most on charges and fees at 16%.
Summary
Cincinnati spends 6.3% 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 | $470 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $230 | $988 |
| Income Tax | $404 | $22 |
| Intergovernmental | $12,511 | $738 |
| Charges & Fees | $8,026 | $6,264 |
| Other | $1,801 | $2,429 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $134 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $633 | $1,931 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $259 |
| Education | $65 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $184 | $988 |
| Hospitals | $147 | $1,630 |
| Parks & Recreation | $879 | $2,030 |
| Housing | $6,008 | $5,569 |
| Sewerage | $250 | $312 |
| Utilities | $5,621 | $5,619 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $435 |
| Other | $8,945 | $5,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.