Columbus vs Hilliard
Columbus, Ohio versus Hilliard, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbus and Hilliard score about the same overall (43 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbus | Hilliard |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $116k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $48k |
| Home Value | $213k | $336k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.43% | 2.08% |
| Income Tax | 6.00% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.22% | 13.91% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 2.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.2 in | 35.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2 in | 24.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 99 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 44.2 | 38.4 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.2 | 52.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2272/100k | 843/100k |
| Property Crime | 3514/100k | 988/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 902,449 | 36,103 |
| Median Age | 32.7 | 36.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+32 | D+32 |
| White (%) | 53.1% | 79.1% |
| Black (%) | 29.0% | 4.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.7% | 4.1% |
| Asian (%) | 5.8% | 7.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 17.5/20 | 8.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.3% | 96.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.95 | 84.76 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Columbus or Hilliard more affordable?
- Hilliard has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Columbus's $48k and Hilliard's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Columbus versus $2k in Hilliard.
- Is Columbus or Hilliard safer?
- Hilliard has the lower violent crime rate. Columbus reports 2272/100k and Hilliard reports 843/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbus or Hilliard?
- The median home value is $213k in Columbus and $336k in Hilliard, so homes are more affordable in Columbus.