Columbus, Ohio
Among the top 2% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 9% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 29% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 18% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 23% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Columbus is a major city in Ohio with about 902,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on property crime and monthly owner costs.
- The median home value in Columbus is $213k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Columbus is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Columbus is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Columbus has a violent crime rate of 2272/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Columbus is 22 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
60%26%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in2.8 in
humid 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 39% of US places
Home Value$213k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 29% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$171kbetter than 0% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.43%better than 28% of US places
Income Tax6.00%better than 27% of US places
State 3.50% + Local 2.50%
Sales Tax7.24%better than 50% of US places
Estimated total tax burden13.22%better than 24% of US places
Unemployment5.2%better than 38% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)29°F39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation42.2 in52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall28.2 inbetter than 35% of US places
Sunny Days168 daysbetter than 4% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 51% of US places
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk44.2better than 78% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 8% of US places
School Quality87.2better than 80% of US places
Violent Crime2272/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Property Crime3514/100kbetter than 4% of US places
Community
Population902,449100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.715th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6093rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9747th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+328th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)53.1%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)29.0%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.7%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)5.8%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.5%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 76% of US places
Walkability17.5/20better than 100% of US places
Airport Distance5 mibetter than 99% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.3%better than 69% of US places
Amenities Nearby11.95better than 16% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 22% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbus an affordable place to live?
- Columbus is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 39% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Columbus safe?
- Columbus is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2272/100k (better than 6%). Property crime is 3514/100k.
- What is the weather like in Columbus?
- Columbus averages 75°F in July and 29°F in January, with 42.2 in of annual precipitation and about 168 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Columbus?
- Public-school quality in Columbus is above average, scoring better than 80% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Columbus?
- The average one-way commute in Columbus is 22 min.