Dallas, TX vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dallas, TX outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $34,849 versus $18,858, a 85% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Dallas, TX edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 57/100 (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.
Dallas, TX 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: Dallas, TX leads with police at $1,519 per resident, while Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168.
Summary
Dallas spends 84.8% more per capita than Columbus ($15,991/person difference). Dallas, TX has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 57/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $9 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $25 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,223 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,389 |
| Other | $584 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,519 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $305 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $201 | $224 |
| Education | $62 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $215 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $385 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $444 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $1 |
| Utilities | $833 | $1,719 |
| General Admin | $25,827 | $0 |
| Other | $5,059 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.