Columbus, OH vs Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $48,948 versus $18,858, a 160% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 47/100 (grade D). 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 $2,292 for Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN leads with education at $21,061.
Summary
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) spends 61.5% more per capita than Columbus ($30,090/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 | $373 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $135 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $13,787 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,444 |
| Other | $5,248 | $4,617 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $1,519 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $468 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $11 |
| Education | $0 | $21,061 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $738 |
| Health | $0 | $672 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $2,100 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,015 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $4,231 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $217 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $3,140 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,667 |
| General Admin | $0 | $2,081 |
| Other | $7,595 | $10,028 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.