Lorain, OH vs Hamilton, 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 Lorain, OH at $405 per resident and in Hamilton, OH at $2,102.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Lorain, OH at 73% of total revenue, whereas Hamilton, OH relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Hamilton spends 85.7% 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 | $241 | $604 |
| Sales Tax | $0 | $3,499 |
| Intergovernmental | $622 | $204,195 |
| Other | $6,102 | $71,987 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $405 | $2,102 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $86 |
| Public Welfare | $2,099 | $3,373 |
| Hospitals | $931 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $1,125 |
| Housing | $619 | $15,570 |
| Utilities | $1,639 | $50,129 |
| Interest on Debt | $301 | $0 |
| Other | $10,644 | $43,891 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.