Columbus, GA vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA outspends Columbus, GA by a wide margin per resident — $25,457 versus $15,522, a 64% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Atlanta, GA edges Columbus, GA on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 85/100 (grade A) to 82/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Atlanta, GA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, GA carries $37 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, GA leads with police at $1,611 per resident, while Atlanta, GA leads with parks and recreation at $1,274.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Columbus, GA at 15% of total revenue, whereas Atlanta, GA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 6%.
Summary
Atlanta spends 39.0% more per capita than Columbus ($9,935/person difference). Atlanta, GA 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 | $64 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $315 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $688 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $792 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,259 | $5,645 |
| Other | $3,202 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,611 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $699 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $443 | $513 |
| Education | $21 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $1,247 | $1,587 |
| Hospitals | $170 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $669 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $2,701 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $66 | $343 |
| Utilities | $1,989 | $8,026 |
| Other | $5,907 | $8,262 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.