Columbus, OH

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

2.12M

0.996% 1-year growth

US Senator

Sherrod Brown

Democratic Party

US Senator

J. D. Vance

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

36.2

0.277% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

12.3%

2.89% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$71,020

6.45% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$213,600

9.04% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

1.08M

1.35% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Columbus, OH had a population of 2.12M people with a median age of 36.2 and a median household income of $71,020. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Columbus, OH grew from 2.1M to 2.12M, a 0.996% increase and its median household income grew from $66,715 to $71,020, a 6.45% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Columbus, OH are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (15.6%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.54%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.74%), and White (Hispanic) (1.76%).

None of the households in Columbus, OH reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.6% of the residents in Columbus, OH are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Columbus, OH are Ohio State University-Main Campus (16,838 degrees awarded in 2021), Columbus State Community College (5,856 degrees), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Columbus (2,839 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Columbus, OH was $213,600, and the homeownership rate was 61.7%.

Most people in Columbus, OH drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Columbus, OH was 2 cars per household.

Columbus, OH borders Athens, OH, Bellefontaine, OH, Bucyrus, OH, Chillicothe, OH, Coshocton, OH, Dayton, OH, Mansfield, OH, Marion, OH, Mount Vernon, OH, Springfield, OH, Urbana, OH, Washington Court House, OH, and Zanesville, OH.

Photo by Bruce Faling

United States Ohio

Population & Diversity

Columbus, OH is home to a population of 2.12M people, from which 95.6% are citizens. As of 2021, 8.76% of Columbus, OH residents were born outside of the country (186k people).

In 2021, there were 4.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.51M people) in Columbus, OH than any other race or ethnicity. There were 332k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 96.4k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.6%

2021 Citizenship

95.8%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 95.6% of Columbus, OH residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Columbus, OH was 95.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Columbus, OH compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Columbus, OH

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.51M ± 1.32k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
332k ± 2.54k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
96.4k ± 1.68k

4.47%

Hispanic Population

94.9k people

4.47% of the people in Columbus, OH are hispanic (94.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Columbus, OH as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Ohio.

Most Common Origin

India
66,680 ± 6,322 people
Mexico
44,514 ± 5,170 people
China
34,822 ± 4,575 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Ohio was India, the natal country of 66,680 Ohio residents, followed by Mexico with 44,514 and China with 34,822.

Foreign-Born Population

8.76%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

186k people

8.36%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

176k people

As of 2021, 8.76% of Columbus, OH residents (186k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Columbus, OH was 8.36%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Columbus, OH compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
33,750 ± 976
Gulf War (2001-)
23,024 ± 1,382
Gulf War (1990s)
16,549 ± 1,093

Columbus, OH has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Columbus, OH employs 1.08M people. The largest industries in Columbus, OH are Health Care & Social Assistance (164,803 people), Retail Trade (122,320 people), and Educational Services (99,638 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($84,181), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($75,800), and Finance & Insurance ($70,956).

Males in Ohio have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $53,152. The income inequality in Ohio (measured using the Gini index) is 0.456, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

1.08M

2021 Value

± 8,788

1.35%

1 Year growth

± 1.13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Columbus, OH grew at a rate of 1.35%, from 1.07M employees to 1.08M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Columbus, OH, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (126,065 people), Management Occupations (125,031 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (99,981 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Columbus, OH.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Ohio (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.08M

2021 Value

± 8,788

1.35%

1 Year growth

± 1.13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Columbus, OH grew at a rate of 1.35%, from 1.07M employees to 1.08M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Columbus, OH, are Health Care & Social Assistance (164,803 people), Retail Trade (122,320 people), and Educational Services (99,638 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Columbus, OH, though some of these residents may live in Columbus, OH and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,952

Median earning men ± $562

$38,769

Median earning women ± $421

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($80,238), Public Administration ($74,303), and Information ($63,143).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($57,997), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($56,459), and Information ($46,998).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Ohio. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Ohio.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

19,394
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
11,131
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
10,456
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$20.5M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$20.2M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$15.1M
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Ohio to other states, or from other states to Ohio.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Ohio product (by dollars) was Machinery with $56.1B, followed by Mixed freight ($53.3B) and Motorized vehicles ($50B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Ohio products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Ohio.

$651B

2020 Value in Ohio

$1.24T

Projected 2050 Value in Ohio

91% growth

In 2020, total outbound Ohio trade was $651B. This is expected to increase 91% to $1.24T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Ohio trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Ohio to other states, or from other states to Ohio.

Most Common Trade Partners

Michigan
$44B
Indiana
$38.3B
Pennsylvania
$30.3B

In 2020, the top outbound Ohio domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Michigan with $44B, followed by Indiana with $38.3B and Pennsylvania and $30.3B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Ohio shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Ohio went to Donald J. Trump with 53.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.14%).

Sherrod Brown and J. D. Vance are the senators currently representing the state of Ohio. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Ohio is currently represented by 15 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Columbus, OH. Showing the available data for Ohio.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (53.3%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.14%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Ohio went to Donald J. Trump with 53.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (45.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.14%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Ohio for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Ohio

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Sherrod Brown

Senator from Ohio

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

J. D. Vance

Senator from Ohio

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Sherrod Brown and J. D. Vance are the senators currently representing Ohio.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Ohio over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Ohio

Ohio is currently represented by 15 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Ohio have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Columbus, OH awarded 36,754 degrees. The student population of Columbus, OH in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 55,653 male students and 69,791 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Columbus, OH are White (22,394 and 64.5%), followed by Black or African American (5,283 and 15.2%), Unknown (1,930 and 5.56%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,853 and 5.34%).

The largest universities in Columbus, OH by number of degrees awarded are Ohio State University-Main Campus (16,838 and 45.8%), Columbus State Community College (5,856 and 15.9%), and MyComputerCareer.edu-Columbus (2,839 and 7.72%).

The most popular majors in Columbus, OH are Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications (2,390 and 6.5%), Registered Nursing (2,186 and 5.95%), and General Business Administration & Management (1,641 and 4.46%).

The median tuition costs in Columbus, OH are $32,780 for private four year colleges, and $8,295 and $31,378 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Columbus, OH, the percentage of applicants admitted was 56.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 125,444 (44.4% men and 55.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 125,444 students enrolled in Columbus, OH, 44.4% men and 55.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 73,822 records, of which 55.3% were women and 44.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
1,034 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
815 degree-majors awarded
General Finance
812 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Columbus, OH was Registered Nursing with 1,034 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Columbus, OH according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Ohio State University-Main Campus
16,838 degrees awarded
Columbus State Community College
5,856 degrees awarded
MyComputerCareer.edu-Columbus
2,839 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Ohio State University-Main Campus with 16,838 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 16,435 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Columbus, OH, which is 0.809 times less than the 20,319 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 22,394 degrees mean that there were 4.24 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5,283 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($32,780) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,755) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,556) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Measure

In 2021, 0.649% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.641% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (3.04M), Some college (2.01M), and Bachelors Degree (1.59M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Columbus, OH was $213,600 in 2021, which is 0.872 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $195,900 to $213,600, a 9.04% increase. The homeownership rate in Columbus, OH is 61.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Columbus, OH have an average commute time of 24.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Columbus, OH is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Columbus, OH is $71,020. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Columbus, OH was Delaware County, OH with a value of $116,284, followed by Union County, OH and Warren County, OH, with respective values of $96,634 and $95,709.

Housing

Property

$213,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$1,710

$513,798

Median Property Taxes

±$5,084

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Columbus, OH the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Columbus, OH compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

61.7%

Homeownership

2021

62.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 61.7% of the housing units in Columbus, OH were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 61.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Columbus, OH compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Columbus, OH was Delaware County, OH with a value of $116,284, followed by Union County, OH and Warren County, OH, with respective values of $96,634 and $95,709.

The following map shows all of the counties in Columbus, OH colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$71,020

Median Household Income

± $744

833k

Number of Households

± 7,312

In 2021, the median household income of the 833k households in Columbus, OH grew to $71,020 from the previous year's value of $66,715.

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, OH distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Columbus, OH is from Ohio.

0.456

2021 Wage GINI in Ohio

0.457

2020 Wage GINI in Ohio

In 2021, the income inequality in Ohio was 0.456 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0758% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Ohio was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Ohio in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Ohio across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (77.1%)
Worked At Home (11.6%)
Carpooled (6.72%)

In 2021, 77.1% of workers in Columbus, OH drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.6%) and those who carpooled to work (6.72%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Columbus, OH have a shorter commute time (24.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.48% of the workforce in Columbus, OH have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Columbus, OH compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Columbus, OH distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Columbus, OH have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Columbus, OH (255k out of 2.07M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Columbus, OH is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93% of the population of Columbus, OH has health coverage, with 55.4% on employee plans, 16.4% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 9.89% on non-group plans, and 1.07% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Ohio see 1291 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.921% decrease from the previous year (1303 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1566 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 346 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

1,291 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Ohio

Primary care physicians in Ohio see an average of 1,291 patients per year. This represents a 0.921% decrease from the previous year (1,303 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Ohio in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.3% under 18 years, 23.1% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.04%

Uninsured

55.4%

Employer Coverage

16.4%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

9.89%

Non-Group

1.07%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Columbus, OH grew by 2.17% from 6.89% to 7.04%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Columbus, OH changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.