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Angela L. living

Pros and cons of Columbus after 15 years

I work in legal and Rent is about $1,224/month for a decent place. Median household income is $65,327, which feels about average for the area. With a population of 906K, Columbus is a major city. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is pretty low. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. Night life is decent if you know the right spots. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years.

Pros:
- Good job market
- Good schools
- Diverse community
- Good internet infrastructure
- Good airport connections

Cons:
- Traffic can be terrible
- Rising rent prices
- High property taxes
- Few job opportunities in some fields
- Boring for young people
Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance! Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level. Property taxes are high but you get good services. The school system varies a lot by neighborhood. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. The city has invested a lot in new development.
49 upvotes

9 Replies

Santiago Bailey
From a safety perspective, it really depends on the area. Some neighborhoods are tough, others not so much. Do your research on specific streets.
38 upvotes
Madelyn
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.

If you value community vibe, you'll love it. The cost of living is genuinely solid and I've found it's improved dramatically in recent years. My neighborhood (Midtown) is wild and I feel safe walking around at night.

But if you're coming from Phoenix, be prepared for the culture shock. cost of living is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.

My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
32 upvotes
Christian King
Bought a house here in 2022 and the quality of life is solid. Property values have gone down slightly since then.
29 upvotes
Autumn W.
Not gonna lie, the first year was rough. But once you find your neighborhood and your people, the quality of life is solid. Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
26 upvotes
Ellie C.
I've been living here for 3 years and I'd say the quality of life is solid. The traffic is challenging compared to other places I've lived. Overall Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
15 upvotes
Alexa Ruiz
Came here for my partner's job and stayed because it's been a really good experience overall. The healthcare is honestly improving and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
14 upvotes
Christian W.
literally same
10 upvotes
Kai Diaz
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 9 years ago from Austin and here's my honest breakdown:

Housing: If you look outside the main areas you can find deals. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Pine Hills. It's better than expected for what you get.

Jobs: The market is stable right now, especially in finance. If you're in engineering you might struggle.

People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.

Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like Asian.

It's not for everyone but it works for us..
4 upvotes
Easton Kelly
seconding this
4 upvotes
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