Columbus, OH vs Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY and Columbus, OH spend within 7.1% of each other per resident — $20,200 versus $18,858 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Columbus, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 52/100 (grade C) against 35/100 (grade D) for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $3,553 for Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY leads with fire protection at $1,132.
Summary
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) spends 6.6% more per capita than Columbus ($1,342/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 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $1,138 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $24 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $412 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $3,823 |
| Other | $5,248 | $8,878 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $701 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $1,132 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Education | $0 | $956 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $1,849 |
| Health | $0 | $379 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $779 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,070 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $2,382 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $249 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $3,844 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,517 |
| Other | $7,595 | $5,344 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.