Cincinnati vs Columbus
Cincinnati, Ohio versus Columbus, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cincinnati and Columbus score about the same overall (45 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cincinnati | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $48k |
| Home Value | $192k | $213k |
| Monthly Rent | $893 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.49% | 1.43% |
| Income Tax | 5.60% | 6.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.79% | 13.22% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 42.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.0 in | 28.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 16.8 | 44.2 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.6 | 87.2 |
| Violent Crime | 2535/100k | 2272/100k |
| Property Crime | 3763/100k | 3514/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 308,870 | 902,449 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 32.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+16 | D+32 |
| White (%) | 48.7% | 53.1% |
| Black (%) | 39.3% | 29.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.6% | 6.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 5.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.8% | 5.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 12.4/20 | 17.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 5 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.1% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.43 | 11.95 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cincinnati or Columbus more affordable?
- Cincinnati has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Cincinnati's $42k and Columbus's $48k. Median rent is $893 in Cincinnati versus $1k in Columbus.
- Is Cincinnati or Columbus safer?
- Columbus has the lower violent crime rate. Cincinnati reports 2535/100k and Columbus reports 2272/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cincinnati or Columbus?
- The median home value is $192k in Cincinnati and $213k in Columbus, so homes are more affordable in Cincinnati.