Columbus, OH vs Arlington, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH outspends Arlington, TX by a wide margin per resident — $18,858 versus $11,769, a 60% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Arlington, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 83/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 31-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Arlington, TX carries the lighter load at $594 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Columbus, OH at $2,168 per resident and in Arlington, TX at $1,352.
Summary
Columbus spends 60.2% more per capita than Arlington ($7,089/person difference). Arlington, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 83/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $507 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $73 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $25,062 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,949 |
| Other | $5,248 | $3,897 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $160 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $149 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $826 |
| Health | $0 | $219 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $152 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,352 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $2,981 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $141 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $1,385 |
| Other | $7,595 | $4,404 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.