Moving to Columbus – Your EZ Guide to Everything Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio is a great place to move if you want a big city feel but without the hustle of a major metropolitan area. People are drawn here for all reasons: education, job opportunities, and amenities. It has a college-town vibe, but it’s supported by a diversity of industries like the growing technology sector.

If you plan to move to Columbus— referred to by locals as “Cbus”—we’ve gathered all the details you need to make an informed decision whether moving here is right for you. We’ve assembled this list of resources and local contacts designed to make your move easier, whether you’re just stopping through for a quick visit or making Columbus your new home. 

Cost of Living and Population Growth

With an overall score of 85.5, the cost of living in Columbus is 15% less than the national average. The Best Places Index places the US average at 100. The most expensive category was utilities, with a 102.1 score. The least expensive category was housing, with a 68.2 score. Residents pay less than the national average for health care, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.

Columbus’ population grew 15% from 2010 to 2020 to 905,748 residents. It is the 14th most populous city in the country and is expected to grow. It is outpacing other Ohio urban cities, including Cincinnati. Its population growth makes it the fastest growing in the Midwest and one of the fastest in the nation.

The average age of a Columbus resident was 36.1, below the national average of 38. Millennials aged 18-34 make up 25% of the local population. The city is home to around 100,000 college students.

Job Market

Columbus has a robust and diversified economy with significant opportunities for new residents. Eleven Fortune 1000 headquarters operations are within the city. A Wall Street Journal Survey in 2020 ranked Columbus metro as no. 18 in the country for hot job markets. For young professionals, it ranked in the top ten.

No single industry represents more than 18% of the employment sector. The top employing industries were professional and business services, education, health care, and government. There is a strong finance and insurance industry and advanced manufacturing.

The city’s largest employers are in the health care and education sectors. The Ohio State University is a top employer in both areas, as is Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio Health. 

Notable companies like L Brands, Honda of America, Nationwide Insurance, and JP Morgan Chase have headquarters here. There are 330 internationally-owned brands in Columbus. 

JP Morgan Chase, Nationwide, Honda, L Brands, Cardinal Health, and Huntington Banks were the largest private-sector employers.

Columbus is home to two world-leading research institutions, Battelle and CAS. Three Edison Technology Centers operate from Columbus, and the Transportation Research Center provides vehicular testing for organizations worldwide.

The unemployment rate was 5.4% in September 2021.

Climate

Columbus has all four seasons. Winters are cold, with an average low of 20F in January and a high of 85F in July.

Columbus doesn’t experience lake-effect snows, but it does receive winter blizzards and ice storms. Winter tends to be the wettest time of year. Season transitions can experience high-wind days. Summers are hot and muggy. It can have severe thunderstorms with tornadoes. 

Transportation

Columbus has a varied transportation system. It is easiest to move about the city as a commuter. The average daily commute time was under 22 minutes.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is the public transit service for greater Columbus. The Cbus Free Bus is available to downtown workers from German Village and Short North.

I-70 and I-71 meet in Columbus, connecting the city to other Ohio metros. Columbus is ringed by I-270, a 22-mile circle that helps move traffic around Columbus and its suburbs. Residents also use Highway 315 to move north and south.

Columbus’ John Glenn International Airport was voted one of the top ten most improved airports in the world. The Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) is one of the world’s only cargo-dedicated airports.

Education

There are several school districts within Franklin County, where Columbus is located. The Columbus City School District is the largest district in Ohio, serving more than 50,000 students through 112 schools. 

Other school districts inside the city limits include Grandview Heights, Worthington, Upper Arlington, Bexley, and Whitehall City. Columbus has numerous city charter and private schools.

Columbus has a robust higher education system with two major research universities: The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College. Nearly 100,000 college students call Columbus home.

Over 61,000 students attend the main campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, one of the largest and most comprehensive institutions in the United States. With more than 250 master’s, doctoral, and professional degree programs to choose from, Ohio State provides a diverse and skilled workforce for the future. In 2018, Ohio State conferred over 11,000 degrees.

According to US News & World Report, the graduate and undergraduate engineering programs at The Ohio State University are ranked No. 1 among all Ohio institutions and 16th among public universities in the United States. According to the National Science Foundation, the College of Engineering is third in the nation for industry research and development spending.

Columbus State Community College is a large two-year college with engineering certificate courses in manufacturing, assembly, and computer-aided design.

The Franklin University campus is located on the city’s east side. The school is best-known as a business college, offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Bexley is home to Capital University, which was founded in 1929. It’s most famous for its music conservatory program and Columbus Law School, both of which are located downtown. 

The Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) offers art education to students from all across the United States.

Real Estate

Columbus home buyers will not likely get a break in the hot housing market next year. In 2022, predictions call for house sales and asking prices in Columbus to rise twice as quickly as average rates across the country.

Because of the low cost, high immigration, the area’s high proportion of millennials, and the region’s strong job creation and education levels, demand for houses in the Columbus region will continue to be strong. However, Columbus’s price-per-square-foot and share of income to purchase are more affordable than national rates, even as prices rise.

The biggest challenge for homebuyers in Columbus is finding available homes. Although prices are rising, inventory is falling in 2022.

Home sales are forecasted to rise 13.7% in 2022, while prices will rise 6.3%. In January 2022, the median list price was $224,900.

Things To Do in Columbus

Columbus has earned the title “The Most Fun City in America” by US News & World Report. Here are some of the highlights:

Dining

Thanks to the multicultural blend of the city, you can enjoy cuisines from around the world. Columbus’ German Village has authentic beer gardens and schnitzel; Italian Village is home to classic restaurants. A large immigrant demographic adds Somali, Indian, and East Asian flavors.

Columbus is home to several food markets, like the Short North and Budd Dairy Food Hall. A thriving craft scene supports venues like Watershed Distillery, Land Grant Brewing, and Seventh Sons Brewing.

Columbus’ multicultural demographic is similar to that of the United States, making it an ideal test market for restaurants. Chains like Wendy’s and Starbucks have used it to try new concepts before appearing elsewhere in the nation.

Dog Friendly

You and your furry friend will love exploring Columbus. The city is filled with natural areas like the Columbus and Scioto rivers, Scioto Audubon Dog Park, Big Darby Creek Preserve, Highbanks Metro Park, Alum Creek Dog Park, and more. Dog parks can be found at the Downtown dog park, Tail Wags Playground, and Wheeler Memorial Dog Park.

BrewDog Franklinton, Gresso’s, and Kingmakers have dog-friendly patios so you can dine with your pup.

Attractions

The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has an amazing butterfly garden and Chihuly glass displays. The children’s garden features a water park, music garden, and activities. The conservatory runs holiday-themed events throughout the year.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has more than 2,000 animals and over 500 species. You can ride a camel, pet some stingrays, and watch penguins dive into their pool.

During the summer, Zoombezi Bay opens next door. Cool off in the wave pool, lazy river, or the water slides.

COSI is an interactive children’s science museum located downtown. The massive facility boasts many hands-on exhibits like coal mine tunnels and simulated space missions. 

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a family-friendly indoor amusement park featuring tons of LEGO brick models.

Play CBUS is a 53,000 square foot indoor active play center in Worthington, Ohio, that caters to all ages and genders! There’s everything from a two-story ropes course to a kids’ area, as well as a Via Ferrata, ninja courses, climbing walls, and a full bar + restaurant.

Parks and Recreation

If you enjoy the outdoors, Columbus has many green spaces where you can go walking, cycling, hiking, or swimming. The long Olentangy Greenway is a multi-purpose path that runs north and south along the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers and is shared by runners, walkers, and cyclists. This route passes by The Ohio State University.

The Alum Creek Greenway extends north and south along Alum Creek. The northern end of the Greenway is Alum Creek State Park, which features open water swimming, trekking, fishing, and picnics.

Find over 400 public parks and the larger Columbus Metro Parks. The city is surrounded by a diverse landscape, including parks like the Scioto Mile. Dozens of miles of multi-use pathways crisscross Columbus. A large number of urban parks include German Village’s Schiller Park, Goodale Park in the Short North, and Franklin Park on the city’s east side are some of them.

Bicentennial Park is the centerpiece of a beautiful park that extends from the Bicentennial Plaza in the south to North Bank Park in the north and is a wonderful location to walk about and appreciate both city life and nature. During the day, Bicentennial Park offers free concerts and a large fountain display that is fun for children to play.

Inniswood has more than 100 acres of woods and streams to explore, even if the blooms aren’t in bloom. The lovely forest is always inviting with easy hikes for hiking, even if the flowers aren’t blooming. Dublin’s Coffman Park has an amphitheater, skate park, fishing ponds, and more.

Close by is Indian Run Falls, a natural gorge with trails, observation platforms, and a bridge over the waterfalls. Battelle Darby Creek offers over 7,000 sprawling acres to hike and explore. Warm-up at the nature center and see if the bison are out roaming. Highbanks is a hiking destination in the metro area. Trek up and down the paths, cross ravine bridges and watch bald eagles from the observation deck.

Shopping

Columbus knows fashion with more designers than the rest of the country–except New York and Los Angeles. Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, Eloquii, Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW), Victoria’s Secret, and more are headquartered here.

The Short North Arts District, Grandview, and German Village all offer a wide range of shopping options. Polaris Fashion Place has brands like Lacoste, Diesel, Portman Clubwear, and Fendi, to name a few. Easton and Polaris Fashion Place have great brand-name shopping.

Art and Culture

The Columbus Museum of Art features bright galleries with changing exhibits and an outdoor sculpture garden. Take a stroll through the picturesque yet historically preserved Ohio Statehouse, and visit the boutiques in German Village, which are both fascinating. 

Enjoy Columbus’ many live performances at venues like Shadowbox Live!, a residential theater company, or the Wexner Center for the Arts, with three rotating exhibitions each year. One of the world’s best art collections, according to ARTNews, is housed at The Pizzuti Collection.

The Columbus Performing Arts Associations (CAPA) hosts performances year-round, from local shows to Broadway performances. Columbus is home to a Jazz Orchestra and a Symphony.

The Columbus Arts Festival, which takes over the downtown riverfront every June, is one of the country’s largest and most popular art festivals. Stroll down the Scioto Mile with family and friends to appreciate the art, entertainment, and cuisine that make this event so unique.

Sports and Sports Teams

Columbus is home to several professional sports teams, most notably the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets and the NFL’s Columbus Crew. 

You can catch a game in the Arena District. The Crew play at Lower Field, a soccer-specific stadium that was built for them in 2021 near downtown. The NHL Blue Jackets play at Nationwide Arena. For minor league sports, check out the Columbus Clippers of Triple-A baseball. 

You can’t live in Columbus and not see red in football season. The Ohio State Buckeyes’ die-hard supporters are always eager to support their team to victory. The Ohio State Buckeyes play in Ohio Stadium, also known as the “Horseshoe,” in the Big Ten East Division.

Many of the sports in Columbus are played at local high schools.

Moving to Columbus, Ohio

Whether you’re here to work, play, or just pass through, we hope your visit is an enjoyable one. We know that moving can be stressful, and we want to help make it as easy as possible for you and your family.

Columbus is full of new experiences — from its thriving job market to its great parks and recreation opportunities — and we want to help you take advantage of everything it has to offer.

From the major landmarks and points of interest — like the Ohio Statehouse — to some of the more off-the-beaten-path places — like the Short North Arts District — our welcoming community is ready to welcome you with open arms.

Columbus prides itself on its young and educated population, making it easier for new residents to jump right in and make a difference.