Lorain, OH vs Akron, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Akron, OH spends 18% more per resident than Lorain, OH: $19,638 against $16,642. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Akron, OH holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 73/100 (grade B) against 60/100 (grade C) for Lorain, OH — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
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 Lorain, OH at $405 per resident and in Akron, OH at $922.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Lorain, OH at 73% of total revenue, whereas Akron, OH relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Akron spends 15.3% more per capita than Lorain ($2,996/person difference). Akron, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 73/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $241 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $148 |
| Intergovernmental | $622 | $23,016 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,806 |
| Other | $6,102 | $6,798 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $405 | $922 |
| Public Welfare | $2,099 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $931 | $4,350 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $689 |
| Housing | $619 | $3,898 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $8 |
| Utilities | $1,639 | $3,689 |
| Interest on Debt | $301 | $0 |
| Other | $10,644 | $6,081 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.