Columbus, OH vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Austin, TX spends 15% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $21,772 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Austin, TX holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 75/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 23-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $1,229 for Austin, TX. 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 Austin, TX at $1,801.
Summary
Austin spends 13.4% more per capita than Columbus ($2,914/person difference). Austin, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 75/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $526 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,465 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $14,031 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $3,247 |
| Other | $5,248 | $5,645 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $634 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $51 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,837 |
| Health | $0 | $517 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $664 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,801 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $3,741 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $865 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $3,264 |
| Other | $7,595 | $8,399 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.