Virginia Beach, VA vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Virginia Beach, VA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $42,515 versus $18,858, a 125% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Virginia Beach, VA 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.
On debt, Virginia Beach, VA carries the lighter load at $297 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Virginia Beach, VA leads with education at $21,342 per resident, while Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168.
Summary
Virginia Beach spends 125.4% more per capita than Columbus ($23,657/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 | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $673 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $831 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $31,808 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,462 | $2,389 |
| Other | $3,301 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,126 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $512 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $224 |
| Education | $21,342 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $2,071 | $878 |
| Health | $426 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $1,036 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,574 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $2,788 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $140 | $1 |
| Utilities | $3,523 | $1,719 |
| Other | $7,978 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.