Franklin County · Ohio · Midwest · 915k residents
Columbus, OH: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Columbus: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Ohio median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,460/wk. Ohio's corporate income tax rate is 0%. Commercial electricity averages 10.7¢/kWh.
Compare Columbus side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,460/wk
Corporate income tax
0%
Bachelor's degree or higher
38.2%
Commercial electricity
10.7¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Columbus's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
83/100
Heating
Ranks Columbus's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $280,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $180 |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,200/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,500/mo |
| State & local income tax | 4.41% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% |
| Corporate income tax | 0% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,460/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% |
| Commercial electricity | 10.7¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 29.5/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $122,340 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $83,900 |
| Wage: General manager | $102,590 |
| Wage: Customer service | $46,350 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $39,040 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $61,720 |
| Wage: Electrician | $64,700 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $33,780 |
| Cost of living index | 92 |
| Groceries index | 96 |
| Utilities | $165/mo |
| Transit pass | $62/mo |
| Gas price | $3.20/gal |
| Healthcare index | 92 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,100/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% |
| Population | 915k |
| Crime index | 48/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 41/100 |
| Disaster risk | 98/100 |
| Avg. commute | 23 min |
| Sunny days / year | 179 days |
| July high | 86°F |
| January low | 22°F |
| Annual snowfall | 19 in |
| Home price YoY | -0.7% |
| Home price MoM | -0.4% |
| Rent YoY | +1.0% |
| Rent MoM | 0.0% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | +1.6% |
| Building permits YoY | +49.8% |
| Ocean coast | 434 mi |
| Big lake | 95 mi |
| Mountains | 210 mi |
| Major airport | 11 mi |
| Ski resort | 119 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Westerville, OH · 39k
- Dublin, OH · 49k
- Upper Arlington, OH · 36k
- Gahanna, OH · 35k
- Hilliard, OH · 38k
Similar size
- Cleveland, OH · 366k
- Cincinnati, OH · 311k
- Toledo, OH · 267k
- Akron, OH · 189k
- Dayton, OH · 137k
Real listings in Columbus
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Columbus a good place to run a business?
- Ohio's corporate income tax rate is 0%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,460/wk; commercial electricity averages 10.7¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Columbus, OH?
- Columbus indexes at 92 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,500/mo and a median home value of $280,000.
- How much does a house cost in Columbus?
- The median home value in Columbus is $280,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Columbus?
- A two-bedroom in Columbus rents for about $1,500/mo.