Hamilton, OH vs Lorain, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Hamilton, OH outspends Lorain, OH by a wide margin per resident — $116,276 versus $16,642, a 599% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Hamilton, OH edges Lorain, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 65/100 (grade B) to 60/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Hamilton, OH at $2,102 per resident and in Lorain, OH at $405.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Hamilton, OH at 100% of total revenue, whereas Lorain, OH relies most on other revenue at 73%.
Summary
Hamilton spends 598.7% more per capita than Lorain ($99,634/person difference). Hamilton, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 65/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $604 | $241 |
| Sales Tax | $3,499 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $204,195 | $622 |
| Other | $71,987 | $6,102 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $4 |
| Fire Protection | $2,102 | $405 |
| Highways & Roads | $86 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $3,373 | $2,099 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $931 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,125 | $0 |
| Housing | $15,570 | $619 |
| Utilities | $50,129 | $1,639 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $301 |
| Other | $43,891 | $10,644 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.