Columbus, OH vs Indianapolis city (balance), IN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Indianapolis city (balance), IN outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $46,045 versus $18,858, a 144% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Indianapolis city (balance), IN holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 74/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Indianapolis city (balance), IN carries the lighter load at $577 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 Indianapolis city (balance), IN leads with police at $2,032.
Summary
Indianapolis city (balance) spends 59.0% more per capita than Columbus ($27,187/person difference). Indianapolis city (balance), IN has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 74/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $20 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $178 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $136 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $1,312 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,813 |
| Other | $5,248 | $4,675 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $2,032 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $397 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,469 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $2,453 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $798 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $2,664 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $248 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $2,227 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,381 |
| General Admin | $0 | $23,227 |
| Other | $7,595 | $9,149 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.