Columbus, OH vs Bakersfield, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH outspends Bakersfield, CA by a wide margin per resident — $18,858 versus $11,576, a 63% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Bakersfield, CA edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 56/100 (grade C) to 52/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Bakersfield, CA 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 Bakersfield, CA at $741.
Summary
Columbus spends 62.9% more per capita than Bakersfield ($7,282/person difference). Bakersfield, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $1 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $20 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,909 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $3,862 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $1,024 |
| Other | $5,248 | $1,915 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $840 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $425 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $741 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $3,391 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $265 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $2,679 |
| Other | $7,595 | $3,234 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.