Columbus, OH vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
San Francisco, CA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $184,131 versus $18,858, a 876% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges San Francisco, CA on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 48/100 (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 $2,031 for San Francisco, CA. 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 San Francisco, CA at $4,119.
Summary
San Francisco spends 89.8% more per capita than Columbus ($165,273/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 | $148 |
| Sales Tax | $234 | $3,028 |
| Income Tax | $1 | $269 |
| Intergovernmental | $0 | $19,762 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,389 | $7,961 |
| Other | $5,248 | $18,918 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $3,351 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $2,281 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $2,203 |
| Health | $0 | $1,911 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $6,939 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $4,119 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $9,315 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $1,423 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $21,190 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $22,798 |
| General Admin | $0 | $14,899 |
| Other | $7,595 | $93,702 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.