The Town FilesColumbus, Ohio
City in Franklin County · population 905,748 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $252,900
- Household income
- $66,082
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 33.2
Columbus is a city of 905,748 people in Franklin County, Ohio. The median home is worth $252,900, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Ohio towns, more vibrant than 96% of Ohio towns, better transit than 94% of Ohio towns.
How Columbus ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Columbus is worth $252,900, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $66,082, which is more affordable than 7% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $1,295 a month. 44.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbus | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $252,900 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $1,295 | $914 |
| Median household income | $66,082 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 44.1% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Columbus
| People | Columbus | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.3% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.1% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.0% | — |
| Work from home | 18.3% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 90.9% |
Weather in Columbus
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 20.9°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 10, 1973 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 111 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 10, 1984.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2026 | Flood | DR-4945: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, And Landslides |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| August 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 779,560 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,180 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Columbus itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Columbus
228 public schools with 87,194 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KIPP Columbus (charter) | K-12 | 2,084 | 8.8 |
| Worthington Kilbourne High School | 9-12 | 1,561 | 19.0 |
| Franklin Heights High School | 9-12 | 1,377 | 20.6 |
| Whetstone High School | 9-12 | 984 | 19.3 |
| Briggs High School | 9-12 | 976 | 19.5 |
| Hamilton Elementary School | K-3 | 973 | 17.7 |
| Northland High School | 9-12 | 970 | 15.9 |
| South High School | 7-12 | 902 | 16.1 |
| Metro Early College High School | 6-12 | 884 | 19.6 |
| United Preparatory Academy (charter) | K-8 | 851 | 85.1 |
| Hamilton Township High School | 8-12 | 833 | 19.8 |
| Columbus Preparatory Academy (charter) | K-12 | 823 | 19.1 |
Towns near Columbus
- Grandview Heights, OH2.9 mi · 8,085 people · home $583,300
- Bexley, OH3.0 mi · 13,928 people · home $527,800
- Upper Arlington, OH5.4 mi · 36,800 people · home $595,600
- Whitehall, OH5.5 mi · 20,127 people · home $159,600
- Gahanna, OH6.6 mi · 35,726 people · home $350,900
- Worthington, OH7.9 mi · 14,786 people · home $440,500
- Lincoln Village, OH8.1 mi · 9,702 people · home $169,100
- Huber Ridge, OH8.2 mi · 4,940 people · home $235,400
Columbus questions
Is Columbus, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbus scores better for retirees than 6% of Ohio towns and quieter than 3%. 11.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.2).
How much does a house cost in Columbus?
The median owner-occupied home in Columbus is valued at $252,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,082, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,295 a month.
What is the weather like in Columbus?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 20.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Columbus get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Columbus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 10, 1973. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)