City safety & data profile

ColumbusOH

Columbus, OH is a 913K-resident city in Franklin County with a median household income of $66,082.

Franklin County, Ohio. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Columbus, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Columbus has a population larger than 99% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $252,900, and 11 hospitals serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-19

913K
Population
Top 1%
By size
$66,082
Median income
$252,900
Median home
18.1%
Poverty rate

The read on Columbus

Columbus posts a median household income higher than 31% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 11 hospitals serve the Columbus area.

Top 69%
by median income, US cities
11
hospitals in & near Columbus

Where Columbus income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$66,082 Bottom 31% higher than 31% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. OH $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Columbus, OH beyond the headline numbers

Columbus sits inside Franklin County, Ohio, at roughly 39.96°N, -83.00°W. Population 913,175, $66,082 median household income. Median home value $252,900, median rent $1,295. Poverty rate 18.1%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Columbus's highest-prevalence health measure is short sleep duration at 38.7%, then obesity at 34.7%. 11 hospitals in/around Columbus, 3/5 avg rating, 5 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Columbus from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
913,175
Columbus
Median Income
$66,082
-3% vs avg
Median Home Value
$252,900
+11% vs avg
Median Age
33.2
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Franklin County) - Columbus's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
1.3M+13%
Median Income
$75,176+48%
Median Home Value
$288,400+91%
Poverty Rate
14.7%-19%
Unemployment
4.6%-47%

Economics

Economics indicators for Columbus, OH
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,295/mo
Poverty Rate
18.1% +27% vs avg
Unemployment 5.1%
Bachelor's Degree+ 38.2%
Work From Home 18.3%
Public Transit 1.9%

Population

White 51.7%
African American 29.3%
Asian 6%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.7%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Short Sleep Duration
38.7%
Obesity
34.7%
High Blood Pressure
31.8%
Physical Inactivity
25.5%
Frequent Mental Distress
19.8%
Binge Drinking
18.1%
Current Smoking
15.2%
Frequent Physical Distress
13.3%
Diabetes
11.8%
Current Asthma
11.7%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 60.9%
Annual Checkup 78.5%

Other Measures

Lack of Health Insurance
9.7%
Coronary Heart Disease
5.3%
Stroke
3.2%

Hospitals 11 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
2
★★★
1
★★
2
★
0
Average Rating
3/5
Total Hospitals
11
With ER
5
RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
DOCTORS HOSPITAL
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★★☆
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY STATE HEALTH SYSTEM
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆
GRANT MEDICAL CENTER
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★☆☆☆
MOUNT CARMEL EAST & WEST
COLUMBUS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★☆☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Columbus, OH? ▼
Columbus, OH has a population of 913,175 people, located in Franklin County, Ohio.
What is the median household income in Columbus? ▼
The median household income in Columbus, OH is $66,082 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 18.1%.
What is the median home value in Columbus? ▼
The median home value in Columbus, OH is $252,900. Median rent is $1,295/month.
What are the top health concerns in Columbus? ▼
The top health indicators in Columbus include Short Sleep Duration (38.7%), Obesity (34.7%), High Blood Pressure (31.8%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has 11 hospitals with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 5 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Columbus? ▼
The median age in Columbus, OH is 33.2 years. 38.2% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Columbus, OH is located in Franklin County, Ohio. With a population of 913K and a $66,082 median household income, the community faces health challenges including short sleep duration and obesity. Residents have access to 11 hospitals with an average rating of 3/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Columbus area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

How Product Recalls Work

CPSC, FDA & NHTSA recall process explained

Understanding Weather Alerts

Watch vs warning vs advisory explained

Earthquake Magnitude Explained

What the numbers mean & when to act
All safety guides →

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

Federal monitoring network, every measurement we report

AirNow - Ohio

Real-time AQI for every monitored Ohio location

National Weather Service

NOAA active watches, warnings, advisories

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference for every AQI category

EPA NAAQS standards

National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regulatory thresholds

Nearby Cities 8

Bexley, OH 14K Upper Arlington, OH 35K Whitehall, OH 19K Grove City, OH 39K Gahanna, OH 35K Worthington, OH 14K Hilliard, OH 34K Westerville, OH 38K
All cities in Ohio → Compare Columbus vs Bexley → All comparisons → Browse all cities

Using Columbus's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Columbus area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Columbus against Ohio peers on any ranking lens. Explore Ohio

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Franklin County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.