Columbus, OH vs Long Beach, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Long Beach, CA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $34,250 versus $18,858, a 82% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Long Beach, CA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Long Beach, CA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, OH carries $1,145 per resident. 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 Long Beach, CA at $698.
Summary
Long Beach spends 44.9% more per capita than Columbus ($15,392/person difference). Long Beach, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $36 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,760 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $1,688 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,424 |
| Other | $5,248 | $8,836 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $0 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,317 |
| Health | $0 | $477 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $2,751 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $698 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $5,782 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $86 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $3,889 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $2,718 |
| Other | $7,595 | $16,533 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.