Columbus, OH vs Cleveland, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Cleveland, OH spends 22% more per resident than Columbus, OH: $23,088 against $18,858. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Cleveland, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $1,253 for Cleveland, OH. 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 Cleveland, OH at $879.
Summary
Cleveland spends 18.3% more per capita than Columbus ($4,229/person difference). Cleveland, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $470 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $230 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $404 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $12,511 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $8,026 |
| Other | $5,248 | $1,801 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $134 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $633 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $221 |
| Education | $0 | $65 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $184 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $147 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $879 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $6,008 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $250 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $5,621 |
| Other | $7,595 | $8,945 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.