Columbus, OH vs Boston, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Boston, MA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $72,299 versus $18,858, a 283% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Boston, MA 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.
On debt, Boston, MA carries the lighter load at $445 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Boston, MA leads with education at $30,742.
Summary
Boston spends 73.9% more per capita than Columbus ($53,441/person difference). Boston, MA 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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $78 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $5,357 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,784 |
| Other | $5,248 | $4,557 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $1,107 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $594 |
| Education | $0 | $30,742 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,110 |
| Health | $0 | $725 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $2,584 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $711 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $6,614 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $355 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $3,402 |
| General Admin | $0 | $5,401 |
| Other | $7,595 | $18,955 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.