Cost of living in the Columbus Metro Area
10 counties across OH. Population: 2,151,847.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Columbus Metro Area
Average rent across the Columbus metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Columbus Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 10 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Columbus Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Columbus Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 10 counties in the Columbus Metro Area
The Columbus metro area includes 10 counties. Sorted by population.
- Columbus OH$3,178/moPop1,321,635 Rent$1,194/mo Income$73,795/yrColumbus OH 1,321,635 $1,194/mo $73,795/yr $3,178/mo
- Delaware County OH$3,572/moPop221,160 Rent$1,194/mo Income$130,088/yrDelaware County OH 221,160 $1,194/mo $130,088/yr $3,572/mo
- Licking County OH$3,200/moPop180,311 Rent$1,194/mo Income$81,033/yrLicking County OH 180,311 $1,194/mo $81,033/yr $3,200/mo
- Fairfield County OH$3,229/moPop161,289 Rent$1,194/mo Income$87,069/yrFairfield County OH 161,289 $1,194/mo $87,069/yr $3,229/mo
- Union County OH$3,287/moPop65,293 Rent$1,109/mo Income$109,506/yrUnion County OH 65,293 $1,109/mo $109,506/yr $3,287/mo
- Pickaway County OH$3,174/moPop59,407 Rent$1,194/mo Income$72,927/yrPickaway County OH 59,407 $1,194/mo $72,927/yr $3,174/mo
- Madison County OH$3,192/moPop44,126 Rent$1,194/mo Income$83,229/yrMadison County OH 44,126 $1,194/mo $83,229/yr $3,192/mo
- Perry County OH$2,620/moPop35,474 Rent$712/mo Income$64,737/yrPerry County OH 35,474 $712/mo $64,737/yr $2,620/mo
- Morrow County OH$3,109/moPop35,214 Rent$1,194/mo Income$71,047/yrMorrow County OH 35,214 $1,194/mo $71,047/yr $3,109/mo
- Hocking County OH$2,558/moPop27,938 Rent$707/mo Income$61,366/yrHocking County OH 27,938 $707/mo $61,366/yr $2,558/mo
Compare counties in the Columbus Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Columbus Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Columbus Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Columbus metro area is approximately $3,209 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 10 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Columbus Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Columbus metro area is $1,177 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Columbus Metro Area?
Hocking County, OH is the most affordable county in the Columbus metro area at approximately $2,558 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Columbus Metro Area?
Delaware County, OH is the most expensive county in the Columbus metro area at approximately $3,572 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Columbus Metro Area?
The Columbus metro area covers 10 counties. The five largest by population are Columbus, Delaware County, Licking County, Fairfield County, Union County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.