Columbus, OH vs Phoenix, AZ
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH spends 19% more per resident than Phoenix, AZ: $18,858 against $15,793. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Phoenix, AZ 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.
On debt, Columbus, OH carries the lighter load at $1,145 per resident versus $1,156 for Phoenix, AZ. 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 Phoenix, AZ at $652.
Summary
Columbus spends 19.4% more per capita than Phoenix ($3,065/person difference). Phoenix, AZ 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 | $7 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $338 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $1,260 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $50,709 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,998 |
| Other | $5,248 | $2,038 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $170 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $86 |
| Education | $0 | $214 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $507 |
| Health | $0 | $258 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $1,521 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $652 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $3,879 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $388 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $2,480 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,760 |
| Other | $7,595 | $3,878 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.