Columbus, OH vs Cincinnati, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cincinnati, OH spends 31% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $24,651 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Cincinnati, OH 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.
Cincinnati, OH 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 Cincinnati, OH at $2,030.
Summary
Cincinnati spends 23.5% more per capita than Columbus ($5,793/person difference). Cincinnati, OH 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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $988 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $22 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $738 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $6,264 |
| Other | $5,248 | $2,429 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $1,931 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $259 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $988 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $1,630 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $2,030 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $5,569 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $312 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $5,619 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $435 |
| Other | $7,595 | $5,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.