Denver, CO vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Denver, CO outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $33,582 versus $18,858, a 78% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Denver, CO on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 51/100 (grade C). 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 $5,126 for Denver, CO. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Denver, CO at $3,319 per resident and in Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Denver spends 78.1% more per capita than Columbus ($14,724/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 | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $2,070 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $236 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $44,661 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $5,207 | $2,389 |
| Other | $10,100 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,455 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $1,668 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $475 | $224 |
| Education | $821 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $764 | $878 |
| Health | $693 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $2,855 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $3,319 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $3,565 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $293 | $1 |
| Utilities | $4,292 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $7 | $0 |
| General Admin | $364 | $0 |
| Other | $12,011 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.