Los Angeles, CA vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Los Angeles, CA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $85,432 versus $18,858, a 353% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Los Angeles, CA on the Fiscal Health Score by 5 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 47/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Los Angeles, CA 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: Los Angeles, CA leads with police at $4,111 per resident, while Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168.
Summary
Los Angeles spends 353.0% more per capita than Columbus ($66,574/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 | $64 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $77 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $307 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $134 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $459 | $2,389 |
| Other | $9,048 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $4,111 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $1,057 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $503 | $224 |
| Education | $829 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $1,286 | $878 |
| Health | $409 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $2,135 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,347 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $6,325 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $34 | $1 |
| Utilities | $21,992 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $630 | $0 |
| General Admin | $11,586 | $0 |
| Other | $33,189 | $7,595 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.