Columbia, SC vs Rock Hill, SC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbia, SC and Rock Hill, SC spend within 11.6% of each other per resident — $19,896 versus $17,824 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Rock Hill, SC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 65/100 (grade B) for Columbia, SC — a 20-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Rock Hill, SC reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbia, SC carries $1,389 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Columbia, SC at $1,265 per resident and in Rock Hill, SC at $3,181.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Columbia, SC at 13% of total revenue, whereas Rock Hill, SC relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 16%.
Summary
Columbia spends 11.6% more per capita than Rock Hill ($2,072/person difference). Rock Hill, SC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 85/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $623 | $415 |
| Income Tax | $42 | $1,207 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,842 | $8,909 |
| Charges & Fees | $8,276 | $3,386 |
| Other | $6,537 | $4,871 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $467 | $470 |
| Highways & Roads | $454 | $227 |
| Public Welfare | $433 | $387 |
| Hospitals | $1,042 | $666 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,265 | $3,181 |
| Housing | $3,604 | $2,961 |
| Sewerage | $141 | $37 |
| Utilities | $4,665 | $3,368 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $328 |
| Other | $7,824 | $6,200 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.