Parma, OH vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH outspends Parma, OH by a wide margin per resident — $18,858 versus $9,437, a 100% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Parma, OH edges Columbus, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 59/100 (grade C) to 52/100 (grade C). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Parma, OH 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: Parma, OH leads with fire protection at $682 per resident, while Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168.
Summary
Columbus spends 50.0% more per capita than Parma ($9,421/person difference). Parma, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 59/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $201 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $434 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,389 |
| Other | $356 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $682 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $211 | $224 |
| Public Welfare | $683 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $879 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $519 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $2,539 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $34 | $1 |
| Utilities | $0 | $1,719 |
| Other | $3,890 | $7,595 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.