Columbus, OH vs San Diego, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Diego, CA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $43,306 versus $18,858, a 130% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
San Diego, CA edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 53/100 (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.
San Diego, CA 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 San Diego, CA leads with police at $3,335.
Summary
San Diego spends 56.5% more per capita than Columbus ($24,448/person difference). San Diego, CA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 53/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $124 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $63 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $194 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $57 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $14 |
| Other | $5,248 | $3,801 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,335 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $1,278 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $1,408 |
| Education | $0 | $2,005 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $700 |
| Health | $0 | $411 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $436 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $4,476 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $43 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $11,704 |
| Other | $7,595 | $17,509 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.