Raleigh, NC vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Columbus, OH spends 36% more per resident than Raleigh, NC: $18,858 against $13,911. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Raleigh, NC holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 76/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Columbus, OH — a 24-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Raleigh, NC carries the lighter load at $906 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Raleigh, NC at $1,391 per resident and in Columbus, OH at $2,168.
Summary
Columbus spends 26.2% more per capita than Raleigh ($4,947/person difference). Raleigh, NC has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 76/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $858 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $806 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $14,128 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,681 | $2,389 |
| Other | $4,740 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $277 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $448 | $224 |
| Education | $6 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $498 | $878 |
| Hospitals | $669 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,391 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $2,712 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $281 | $1 |
| Utilities | $2,469 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $1,513 | $0 |
| Other | $3,646 | $7,595 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.