Columbus, OH vs Fresno, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fresno, CA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $43,387 versus $18,858, a 130% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Fresno, CA on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 50/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Fresno, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, OH carries $1,145 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Fresno, CA leads with education at $3,942.
Summary
Fresno spends 56.5% more per capita than Columbus ($24,529/person difference). Columbus, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 52/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $337 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $19 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $501 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | -$4,470 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $11 |
| Other | $5,248 | $2,070 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,261 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $568 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $3,942 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,946 |
| Health | $0 | $599 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $76 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $2,856 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $15,340 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $255 |
| Other | $7,595 | $14,545 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.