Columbus, OH vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH spends 36% more per resident than Raleigh, NC: $18,858 against $13,911. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Raleigh, NC carries the lighter load at $906 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. 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 Raleigh, NC at $1,391.
Summary
Columbus spends 35.6% more per capita than Raleigh ($4,947/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $858 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $806 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $14,128 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $2,681 |
| Other | $5,248 | $4,740 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $277 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $448 |
| Education | $0 | $6 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $498 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $669 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $1,391 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $2,712 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $281 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $2,469 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $1,513 |
| Other | $7,595 | $3,646 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.