Parma, OH vs Dayton, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Dayton, OH outspends Parma, OH by a wide margin per resident — $16,978 versus $9,437, a 80% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Parma, OH edges Dayton, OH on the Fiscal Health Score by 2 points — 59/100 (grade C) to 57/100 (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 Dayton, OH carries $16 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: fire protection leads in Parma, OH at $682 per resident and in Dayton, OH at $855.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Parma, OH at 100% of total revenue, whereas Dayton, OH relies most on other revenue at 52%.
Summary
Dayton spends 44.4% more per capita than Parma ($7,541/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 | $30 |
| Sales Tax | $201 | $210 |
| Intergovernmental | $434 | $2,236 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $3,744 |
| Other | $356 | $5,977 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $682 | $855 |
| Highways & Roads | $211 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $683 | $2,147 |
| Hospitals | $879 | $677 |
| Parks & Recreation | $519 | $232 |
| Housing | $2,539 | $4,133 |
| Sewerage | $34 | $0 |
| Utilities | $0 | $2,873 |
| Other | $3,890 | $6,059 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.