Columbus, OH vs Atlanta, GA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Atlanta, GA spends 35% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $25,457 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Atlanta, GA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 85/100 (grade A) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 33-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Atlanta, GA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, OH carries $1,145 per resident. 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 Atlanta, GA at $1,274.
Summary
Atlanta spends 25.9% more per capita than Columbus ($6,599/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 | $10 | $419 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $0 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,292 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $9,121 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $5,645 |
| Other | $5,248 | $5,461 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $315 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $464 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $513 |
| Education | $0 | $25 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,587 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $55 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,274 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $4,594 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $343 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $8,026 |
| Other | $7,595 | $8,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.