The typical owner-occupied home in Columbus is worth about $252,900, 18% above the Ohio median of $214,800 and 24% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,341 a year in property taxes, about 1.32% of their home's value, close to the Ohio rate of 1.31%. The median household earns $66,082 a year, so the median home costs 3.8 times the median income (3.0 times for Ohio). 44% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 69% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Columbus at a glance
| Columbus | Ohio | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $252,900 | $214,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,341 | $2,822 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.32% | 1.31% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $66,082 | $71,389 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 44% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 69% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,599 | $1,517 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.6% | 18.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,295 | $1,034 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.8% | 28.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1980 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 8.2% | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 914,802 | 11,810,293 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Columbus
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Columbus home of $252,900 with 20% down costs about $1,745 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,166, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $74,768 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Columbus household income of $66,082; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $224,000.
The median rent here is $1,295 a month, so owning the median home costs about $450 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $50,580 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $202,320 |
| Principal and interest | $1,361 |
| Property taxes (1.32% a year) | $278 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $105 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,745 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $8,852 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $248,319 |
| Principal and interest | $1,670 |
| Property taxes (1.32% a year) | $278 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $105 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $112 |
| Total per month | $2,166 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Columbus
What is the median home value in Columbus?
About $252,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Columbus?
Homeowners pay a median $3,341 a year, which is about 1.32% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Columbus?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,745 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $74,768 a year.
More about Columbus
- Mortgage Refinance in Columbus
- Debt Relief in Columbus
- Home Equity Loans in Columbus
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data