Columbus, OH vs Tulsa, OK
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH outspends Tulsa, OK by a wide margin per resident — $18,858 versus $5,250, a 259% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Tulsa, OK edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 56/100 (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.
Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK leads with health at $762.
Summary
Columbus spends 259.2% more per capita than Tulsa ($13,608/person difference). Tulsa, OK has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 56/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $628 |
| Fire Protection | $1,016 | $196 |
| Highways & Roads | $224 | $257 |
| Public Welfare | $878 | $86 |
| Health | $0 | $762 |
| Hospitals | $953 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,168 | $154 |
| Housing | $4,303 | $350 |
| Sewerage | $1 | $27 |
| Utilities | $1,719 | $41 |
| Other | $7,595 | $2,748 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.