Cleveland, OH vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cleveland, OH spends 22% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $23,088 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Cleveland, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $1,253 for Cleveland, OH. 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 Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Cleveland spends 22.4% more per capita than Columbus ($4,229/person difference). Cleveland, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $470 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $230 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $404 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $12,511 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $8,026 | $2,389 |
| Other | $1,801 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $134 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $633 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $221 | $224 |
| Education | $65 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $184 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $147 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $879 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $6,008 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $250 | $1 |
| Utilities | $5,621 | $1,719 |
| Other | $8,945 | $7,595 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.