Should I Move To
Columbus, Indiana is a population of 50,896 . Cost of living is affordable — 11% below the national average, with median rent around $1,081/month and median household income of $75,114. Overall it earns an UrbRank Score of 71/100 (grade B), ranking #6 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Columbus's composite cost-of-living index sits at 89 (US average = 100), placing it in the affordable tier. At $1,081/month median rent against $75,114 median household income, residents spend about 17% of household income on rent — well within the 30% rule of thumb. Median home value is $211,700.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Columbus has a four-season climate — summer highs average 85°F and winter lows average 26°F, with 45 inches of precipitation annually. Very walkable — most errands can be done on foot from a central neighborhood. Crime data isn't available for this city. Air quality is good (AQI 37).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Columbus is a moderate fit for families. It earns a Score of 72/100 (grade B) on the families profile. Especially strong on affordability (84/100), weakest on climate (53/100).
Columbus is a moderate fit for retirees. It earns a Score of 73/100 (grade B) on the retirees profile. Especially strong on affordability (84/100), weakest on climate (53/100).
Columbus is a strong fit for remote workers. It earns a Score of 75/100 (grade B+) on the remote workers profile. Especially strong on affordability (84/100), weakest on climate (53/100).
Columbus is a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns a Score of 69/100 (grade B-) on the young professionals profile. Especially strong on affordability (84/100), weakest on climate (53/100).
Columbus, Indiana has an overall UrbRank Score of 71/100 (grade B), ranked #6 nationally. The score is a weighted average across affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Columbus's cost-of-living index is 89 (US average = 100), so it's affordable — 11% below the national average. Median rent is $1,081/month.
Columbus has a four-season climate. Summer highs average 85°F and winter lows average 26°F, with 45 inches of annual precipitation.
Columbus has a Walk Score of 79/100. Very walkable — most errands can be done on foot from a central neighborhood.
Columbus has a population of 50,896, with 42% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 36.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Columbus side-by-side with any other US city — housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality of life metrics displayed together. The leaderboard pages also show how Columbus ranks for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Columbus with other Indiana cities scored on UrbRank.
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