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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Columbus, OH vs Parma, OH

Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)

Reviewed by CitySpend Editorial Team · Updated

Columbus, OH outspends Parma, OH by a wide margin per resident — $18,858 versus $9,437, a 100% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.

Parma, OH edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 59/100 (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.

Parma, OH reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Columbus, OH carries $1,145 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168 per resident, while Parma, OH leads with fire protection at $682.

Summary

Columbus spends 99.8% more per capita than Parma ($9,421/person difference). Parma, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).

Fiscal Health Score

City A
Columbus, OH
Pop. 902,449
C
52/100
Budget Balance32
Debt Burden46
Pension Funding76
Spending Efficiency94
Revenue Diversity0
Trend Direction50
City B
Parma, OH
Pop. 80,587
C
59/100
Budget Balance17
Debt Burden100
Pension Funding76
Spending Efficiency100
Revenue Diversity0
Trend Direction50

Key Metrics

Metric
Columbus
Parma
Total Spending
$17.0B
$760.5M
Spending / Capita
$18,858
$9,437
Total Revenue
$0
$35.0M
Revenue / Capita
$0
$434
Total Debt
$1.0B
$0
Debt / Capita
$1,145
$0
Population
902,449
80,587
Gov Employees / 10K
0.0
0.0
Avg Gov Salary
$0
$0

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection
Columbus$1,016
Parma$682
Highways & Roads
Columbus$224
Parma$211
Parks & Recreation
Columbus$2,168
Parma$519

Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)

ColumbusParma
Property Tax
$10
$0
Sales Tax
$234
$201
Income Tax
$1
$0
Intergovernmental
$0
$434
Charges & Fees
$2,389
$0
Other
$5,248
$356

Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)

ColumbusParma
Fire Protection
$1,016
$682
Highways & Roads
$224
$211
Public Welfare
$878
$683
Hospitals
$953
$879
Parks & Recreation
$2,168
$519
Housing
$4,303
$2,539
Sewerage
$1
$34
Utilities
$1,719
$0
Other
$7,595
$3,890
C
Columbus, OH
Fiscal Health Score: 52/100
Average fiscal health
C
Parma, OH
Fiscal Health Score: 59/100
Average fiscal health

Compare More Cities

Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.