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Updated

Average Rent in Columbus, OH

8 apartment buildings, 184 units. Real asking prices, refreshed daily.

Avg Rent

$1,600/mo

Cheapest

$699/mo

Properties

8

Units

184

Analysis

Rent Price Breakdown

Compare pricing across all 8 properties in Columbus, OH.

Average Rent by Property

Starting Price vs Average

Rent by Bedroom Count

Price per Square Foot

Columbus, OH Rent Prices

All 8 properties ranked by lowest available rent.

Explore Each Property

Columbus, OH Average Rent Prices 2026

The average rent in Columbus, OH is $1,600 per month, based on 184 units across 8 apartment communities. Prices range from $699 at NorthSteppe Realty to $1,150 at ONE at The Peninsula.

Average Rent by Bedroom Type

Type Avg Rent Starting From Units
Studio $1,031/mo $699/mo 31
1 Bed $1,214/mo $775/mo 48
2 Bed $1,566/mo $1,100/mo 60
3 Bed $2,099/mo $1,450/mo 28
4 Bed $3,024/mo $1,800/mo 17

Every price comes directly from each property's leasing system, updated that morning. Request a neighborhood we don't cover and we add it within 24 hours.

Market Context

Who rents in Columbus, OH, and what they pay

Tracked one-bedroom rent in Columbus, OH averages $1,214/mo, with two-bedroom units averaging $1,566/mo. At the local median household income of $65,327, that works out to 29% of gross income, near the 30 percent affordability ceiling.

The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2023 release pegged median gross rent in Columbus, OH at $1,224/mo. The current tracked market average runs 31% higher than that benchmark, reflecting both two to three years of rent growth and the fact that the Census figure covers all renter-occupied housing in Columbus, OH while the tracked market average covers units currently listed in larger apartment communities.

Who employs renters in Columbus

Demand in the Columbus rental market is shaped by the metro's largest private and public employers. The following organizations anchor local hiring and influence what renters can pay:

  • Nationwide Insurance
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Ohio State University
  • L Brands
  • Honda of America
  • Cardinal Health

Mean one-way commute in Columbus, OH is 22 minutes, per the Census ACS, useful context when weighing which properties sit inside reasonable reach of these employers.

What salary do I need to live comfortably in Columbus, OH?

Built on the 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Minimum to afford average rent

$64,000/year

30 percent rule -- using our average rent of $1,600/mo.

Comfortable income

$77,000/year

25 percent rule -- leaves more room for savings, transport, and groceries.

To afford the cheapest tracked apartment ($699/mo), you need to earn at least $28,000/year.

Median household income in Columbus, OH is $65,327 , about 15% below the comfortable-living threshold.

Cost of living in Columbus, OH

Overall prices in Columbus, OH runs below the national average by about 5% (BEA Regional Price Parity index 94.6, where 100 equals the U.S. average). The breakdown below estimates monthly costs for a single adult, using national consumer-spending baselines from the Bureau of Labor Statistics scaled by Columbus, OH's regional price parities.

Category Monthly estimate
Rent (market average) $1,600
Utilities $375
Groceries $508
Transportation $893
Healthcare $436
Other goods and services $697
Estimated total $4,508/mo

Population

906,480

Median household income

$65,327

Census median rent

$1,224/mo

Rent as % of income

28.2%

Median age

33.0

Mean commute

22 min

Methodology

Rent data

Sourced directly from each tracked apartment community and refreshed every 24 hours. Every listed unit price on this page is real and listed today.

Cost of living

Estimates combine national consumer-spending baselines from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Survey) with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (MARPP dataset). Both are peer-reviewed federal data releases published annually.

Salary to live comfortably

Applies the standard 25 to 30 percent rent-to-income rule on top of the listed rent. This is the same affordability guideline used by most landlords and credit-scoring models.

Demographic figures

Median household income, population, median age, commute time, Census median rent, and rent as percentage of income come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most recent complete release.

Cost of living and demographic figures were last published in 2023.

Compare

Nearby cities in Ohio

How Columbus, OH rent compares to other markets in the state.

City Avg Rent vs Columbus, OH Properties
Cincinnati, OH $2,113 +32% 11
Parma, OH $1,550 -3% 7
Hamilton, OH $1,412 -12% 7
Cleveland, OH $1,813 +13% 7
Dayton, OH $1,081 -32% 6
Springfield, OH $1,331 -17% 5

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Columbus, OH?

The average rent in Columbus, OH is $1,600 per month, based on 184 units across 8 apartment buildings tracked by Average Rent. Prices are updated every morning through our proprietary data sourcing.

What is the cheapest apartment rent in Columbus, OH?

The lowest available rent in Columbus, OH starts at $699 per month. Availability changes daily as leasing data is refreshed each morning.

How much is a 1-bedroom apartment in Columbus, OH?

1-bedroom apartments in Columbus, OH average $1,214/mo. The lowest listed 1-bedroom starts at $775/mo across 48 units tracked.

How much is a 2-bedroom apartment in Columbus, OH?

2-bedroom apartments in Columbus, OH average $1,566/mo. Units start from $1,100/mo across 60 units currently listed.

Rent Trends in Columbus, OH

Track how apartment prices are changing over time.

View Rent Trends
Adding new buildings daily

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