Cincinnati is one of the worst-run cities in America, according to a WalletHub study that compares the operating efficiency of 150 of the largest cities.
Cincinnati ranks No. 117 in the study’s list of best-run cities. Nampa, Idaho took the first spot, and Washington, D.C. came in last.
The study examines how city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of services residents receive against the city’s total budget.
Analysts gave each city a “Quality of Service” score made up of 35 metrics grouped into six categories measured against the city’s per-capita budget.
Most of the Cincinnati's $1.4 billion budget is comprised of funding reserved for big items, such as the police and fire departments. So each year city council fights over a small pot of roughly $2 million that gets divvied up between human services agencies and outside groups.
Cincinnati scored a 98 for quality of service. Analysts ranked the Queen City at 93 for financial stability, 125 for education, 132 for health, 86 for safety, 116 for economy and 15 for infrastructure and pollution. Click here to read about the study's methodology.
