Columbus, OH vs Jacksonville, FL
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Jacksonville, FL outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $31,456 versus $18,858, a 67% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Jacksonville, FL edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 53/100 (grade C) to 52/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $2,821 for Jacksonville, FL. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Jacksonville, FL leads with fire protection at $9,436.
Summary
Jacksonville spends 40.0% more per capita than Columbus ($12,598/person difference). Jacksonville, FL has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 53/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $233 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $762 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $7,348 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,119 |
| Other | $5,248 | $4,705 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $18 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $9,436 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $486 |
| Health | $0 | $332 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $557 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,329 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $5,572 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $176 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $1,835 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,942 |
| Other | $7,595 | $9,771 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.