Columbus is the 14th largest city in the United States and the second largest in the Midwest behind Chicago.
- Columbus grew faster than any other city in the nation during the second half of 2023 – Bank of America Institute Ranking
- Columbus is a “Midwest masterpiece” – Resonance, which ranks cities worldwide
- “With a revitalized riverfront and booming downtown, Columbus is already one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities.” – The New York Times
- Columbus is among the top 10 U.S. metros for concentration of young professionals (age 25-34) and the only metro with this distinction located in the eastern half of the country.
- One of the top U.S. cities for recent college graduates, offering a balanced combination of career prospects and quality of life for young professionals – study done by Architectural Digest, 2024
- “One of the best cities for Gen Z.” – The New York Times, 2022
- “If there’s one thing we know about the Midwest now, it’s to stop expecting certain things from the Midwest, and certainly not Ohio’s capital city, which has a nearly Sun Belt-esque buoyancy about it these days, as it welcomes all-comers, from all over the world, into the ever-growing fold.” – Food & Wine
- “A youthful, entrepreneurial energy has fueled a lot of changes in Ohio’s capital, a fashion design hub (you read that right) brimming with creative restaurants, craft breweries, distilleries and small-batch coffee roasters” – The Chicago Tribune
- “The fastest-growing city in the Midwest, Columbus is a microcosm of a larger employment trend that Michael Stull has observed lately. ‘Companies are moving to where people are, as opposed to people moving to where companies are,” he says. ‘The Columbuses, the Pittsburghs, the Baltimores are being able to compete with jobs.’” – Forbes.com
- Columbus scored 100/100 on The Municipal Equality Index by the Human Rights Campaign, which includes measures of employment, housing, and public attitudes toward the LGBTQ community
- “Columbus dishes up a concoction of culture, sport, art, and entertainment to suit every style…” – TourScanner
- "There’s little doubt Columbus, Ohio is becoming one of the fastest growing tech hubs – not just in the Midwest, but in the country.” – TechCrunch
- Top 10 U.S. city for work-life balance – SmartAsset
- “One of the nation’s best metro areas for the arts.” – Places Rated Almanac
- Named a No. 1 opportunity city for startups by Forbes
- Winner of the National League of Cities 2024 City Cultural Diversity Awards, which celebrates leadership in developing programs that improve cultural diversity
- One of the ‘Best Destinations for Culinary Travel’ – Essence, 2024
- Named a Top 10 city for:
- Best public market (150-year-old North Market) – USA Today, 2024
- Best river walk (the Scioto Mile downtown) – USA Today, 2024.
- Best bakeries – Food and Wine, April 2024
Just the Facts
It’s affordable
A dollar goes further here. The cost of living is 10% below the national average, and our average rent and home prices will leave you pleasantly surprised. As of 2024, the median monthly rent was $1,091, and the median home price was $358,927. You don’t have to live far from the city’s center to get a great deal, either—our commutes are actually shorter than the U.S. average.
Explore our neighborhoods to find an address that suits your style.
It’s welcoming
Columbus is a city that invites and embraces cultural and economic diversity. Our residents speak over 100 languages, and we’re one of the most diverse Midwestern cities, highlighted by large Japanese, Korean and Indian populations and the second-largest Somali population in the U.S. We’re also home to the 17th largest LGBTQ population among U.S. cities and have the largest Pride celebration in the Midwest.
It’s thriving
Columbus is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and we’re celebrated for our job growth and impressive list of employers. Oh, and we know how to have fun: Our arts and entertainment options will keep your calendar fully booked while our acclaimed food scene will satisfy your cravings from sushi to schnitzel. If you’re into sports, we’ve got professional hockey and soccer teams as well as a college football program you may have heard about.
It’s smart
Home to an expanding number of startup businesses in addition to five Fortune 500 and 16 Fortune 1000 companies, Columbus harbors a spirit of innovation that attracts the best and brightest. We also produce brilliant minds at the 52 colleges and universities in the Columbus region and our top-ranked public and private schools. Learn more by searching Ohio’s School Report Cards.