Columbus, OH vs Hamilton, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Hamilton, OH outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $116,276 versus $18,858, a 517% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Hamilton, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 65/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Hamilton, OH 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 Hamilton, OH leads with fire protection at $2,102.
Summary
Hamilton spends 83.8% more per capita than Columbus ($97,417/person difference). Hamilton, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $604 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $3,499 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $204,195 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $0 |
| Other | $5,248 | $71,987 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $2,102 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $86 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $3,373 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,125 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $15,570 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $50,129 |
| Other | $7,595 | $43,891 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.