Primary sources for Columbus, OH
- Census Bureau profile of Columbus, OH, ACS data
- EIA-861 utility data for Columbus, OH, prices
- DOE LEAD tool for Columbus, OH, energy burden
- NOAA storms and FEMA flood claims for Columbus, OH
Electricity rates in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, OH ranks 2nd of 50 Ohio cities for the youngest residents (median age 33.0). Columbus, Ohio has 906,480 residents in 386,581 households; 33.7% heat with electricity.
Households in Columbus, OH can pick a supplier. See how to compare suppliers.
Columbus on the map
Franklin County, with Columbus marked
Who supplies Columbus
Franklin County lists 8 utilities for Columbus, OH, a city of 906,480: no plan prices, and retail supplier plans are not in public data; which listed utility delivers to your street depends on the address. Franklin County page.
Who lives in Columbus: income, cars, homes
In Columbus, OH, 93,063 of 206,758 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent; 177,361 households moved in since 2018 and 46,741 before 2000, so electric accounts turn over quickly. Columbus, OH homes: 194,501 have 3+ bedrooms, 75,419 none or one, median 5.0 rooms. Of 476,309 workers in Columbus, OH, 76,788 work from home, 333,807 drive alone, 10,144 ride transit and 12,249 walk. 157,600 residents of Columbus, OH live below the poverty line, and the median age is 33.0. In Columbus, OH, 32,169 households own no vehicle and 187,530 own two or more; home EV charging depends on that. In Columbus, OH, 94,645 of 386,581 households earn under $35,000, 123,101 $35,000-$75,000, 116,572 $75,000-$150,000 and 52,263 $150,000 or more.
Household income in Columbus, OH
| Columbus, OH | Value | Rank in Ohio (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH, households under $35,000 | 24.5% | 25 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, households $150,000 or more | 13.5% | 24 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, residents below poverty | 17.8% | 17 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, median age | 33.0 | 48 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, homes with 3+ bedrooms | 46.3% | 47 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, households without a vehicle | 8.3% | 21 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, households with 2+ vehicles | 48.5% | 34 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, workers at home | 16.1% | 12 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, cost-burdened renters | 45.0% | 28 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, moved in since 2018 | 45.9% | 3 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, moved in before 2000 | 12.1% | 49 of 50 |
Facts about Columbus
- Residents of Columbus, OH, ACS 2023
- 906,4801 of 50 Ohio cities with 30,000+
- Median household income in Columbus, OH
- $65,32726 of 50 of those cities
- Households in Columbus, OH
- 386,5812.34 people each
- Owner-occupied homes in Columbus, OH
- 44.3%171,346 owners and 215,235 renter households
- Housing units in Columbus, OH
- 420,06833,487 vacant or seasonal
- Homes heated by electricity in Columbus, OH
- 33.7%130,231 of 386,581 homes
- Land area of Columbus, OH
- 220.7 sq mi4,106.8 people per sq mi
- Bill as share of income in Columbus, OH
- 2.5%at 846 kWh a month over the $65,327 median household income
- Wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of Columbus, OH
- 226NWS point reports 2015 to 2025, 24.9 per 100,000 residents
- Median year homes were built in Columbus, OH
- 1980212,547 of 420,068 homes (50.6%) before 1980
- Median home value and rent in Columbus, OH
- $234,500$1,224 gross rent a month, 6.26% of value a year
Electricity price since 2015 around Columbus
Columbus has no price series of its own. Columbus: the Ohio average was 12.80 ¢/kWh in 2015. Columbus: 15.99 ¢ in 2024, 25% up. Columbus: against 30% up for the U.S. average.
Columbus: a 846 kWh month at the Ohio price. Columbus: $108 in 2015, $135 in 2024. Columbus: $1,622 a year, 2.5% of the $65,327 median income.
Columbus: 10 yearly prices
| Year | Ohio average | Columbus: Gap to U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| 2015, Columbus | 12.80 | +0.15 |
| 2016, Columbus | 12.47 | -0.08 |
| 2017, Columbus | 12.63 | -0.26 |
| 2018, Columbus | 12.56 | -0.31 |
| 2019, Columbus | 12.38 | -0.63 |
| 2020, Columbus | 12.29 | -0.86 |
| 2021, Columbus | 12.77 | -0.89 |
| 2022, Columbus | 13.85 | -1.19 |
| 2023, Columbus | 15.38 | -0.62 |
| 2024, Columbus | 15.99 | -0.49 |
Columbus, OH: EIA-861 home prices, 2015 to 2024, not a Columbus, OH price.
CSVBill and heat pump calculator, Columbus
Compare Columbus with nearby cities
| City near Columbus, OH | Distance from Columbus | Residents | Median income | Median year built | Median home value | Storm reports within 15 miles | Work from home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH (this page) | 0 mi | 906,480 | $65,327 | 1980 | $234,500 | 226 | 16.1% |
| Upper Arlington, OH | 5.5 mi northwest | 36,319 (-870,161) | $150,993 (+$85,666) | 1959 (-21 yr) | $568,200 (+$333,700) | 203 (-23) | 24.7% (+8.6 pts) |
| Gahanna, OH | 6.6 mi northeast | 35,438 (-871,042) | $106,004 (+$40,677) | 1985 (+5 yr) | $322,300 (+$87,800) | 244 (+18) | 21.9% (+5.8 pts) |
| Grove City, OH | 9.0 mi southwest | 41,831 (-864,649) | $90,888 (+$25,561) | 1993 (+13 yr) | $283,300 (+$48,800) | 184 (-42) | 13.9% (-2.2 pts) |
| Hilliard, OH | 9.8 mi west | 36,560 (-869,920) | $122,864 (+$57,537) | 1997 (+17 yr) | $360,000 (+$125,500) | 175 (-51) | 21.0% (+4.9 pts) |
| Westerville, OH | 10.4 mi north | 38,543 (-867,937) | $107,054 (+$41,727) | 1982 (+2 yr) | $343,200 (+$108,700) | 227 (+1) | 25.2% (+9.1 pts) |
Housing and heating in Columbus
Columbus, OH: 212,547 of 420,068 homes were built before 1980 and 94,014 in 2000 or later. Columbus, OH has 189,094 detached houses, 130,512 homes in 5+ unit buildings and 3,564 mobile homes.
Age of homes in Columbus, OH
% of homes by decade built, Columbus, OH
- 12pre-40
- 440s
- 1050s
- 1160s
- 1470s
- 1380s
- 1490s
- 1200s
- 1010s
- 120+
Heating fuel in Columbus, OH
| Columbus, OH | Value | County | Gap | Rank (1 = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH, median year built | 1980 | 1979 | +1 years | 14 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, built before 1980 | 50.6% | 52.2% | -1.6 points | 36 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, built 2000 or later | 22.4% | 21.5% | +0.8 points | 8 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, detached houses | 45.0% | 52.7% | -7.7 points | 47 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, apartments in 5+ unit buildings | 31.1% | 25.5% | +5.6 points | 4 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, mobile homes | 0.8% | 1.1% | -0.2 points | 20 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, renter households | 55.7% | 47.0% | +8.6 points | 4 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, median home value | $234,500 | $265,700 | -$31,200 | 16 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, median gross rent a month | $1,224 | $1,233 | -$9 | 12 of 50 |
| Columbus, OH, people per household | 2.29 | 2.36 | -0.07 | 27 of 50 |
Outage risk around Columbus
Columbus, OH, NWS reports within 15 miles of the center, 2015 to 2025: 214 wind and 12 tornado, 24.9 per 100,000 residents of 906,480. Top gust near Columbus, OH: 61 knots, 70 mph. Damage near Columbus, OH: $2.7M.
Reports within 15 miles of Columbus, OH
wind and tornado reports, Columbus, OH
- 17'15
- 14'16
- 21'17
- 20'18
- 21'19
- 55'20
- 7'21
- 11'22
- 16'23
- 24'24
- 20'25
| Columbus, OH | Wind | Tornado | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH, 2015 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Columbus, OH, 2016 | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| Columbus, OH, 2017 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Columbus, OH, 2018 | 18 | 2 | 20 |
| Columbus, OH, 2019 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| Columbus, OH, 2020 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
| Columbus, OH, 2021 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Columbus, OH, 2022 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Columbus, OH, 2023 | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| Columbus, OH, 2024 | 17 | 7 | 24 |
| Columbus, OH, 2025 | 19 | 1 | 20 |
Cost of living with electricity in Columbus
Columbus, OH: 386,581 households at $1,358 a year per home for electricity (Franklin County average, DOE LEAD) come to about $525.0 million, an estimate; all home energy is $2,148 a year per household.
| Group in Columbus, OH | Households | Power per home | Power bill of the group | Share of Columbus, OH median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH, all households | 386,581 | $1,358 | $525.0 million | 2.08% |
| Columbus, OH, homeowners | 171,346 | $1,563 | $267.8 million | 2.39% |
| Columbus, OH, renters | 215,235 | $1,122 | $241.5 million | 1.72% |
Climate and electric heating around Columbus
Columbus is in Franklin County, OH. Columbus: degree days are county values.
Columbus: 5,361 heating degree days a year. Columbus: 955 cooling degree days a year.
| Columbus | County value |
|---|---|
| Columbus, heating degree days, 1991-2020 normal | 5,361 |
| Columbus, heating degree days, 2016-2025 mean | 5,005 |
| Columbus, cooling degree days, 1991-2020 normal | 955 |
| Columbus, cooling degree days, 2016-2025 mean | 1,074 |
| Columbus, homes heated with electricity, ACS 2019-2023 | 30.4% |
Columbus: NOAA nClimDiv 7 Oct 2026; ACS B25040.
Analyst note on Columbus
Columbus, OH counts 906,480 residents in 386,581 households, on 220.7 square miles. 130,231 of the 386,581 occupied homes in Columbus, OH heat with electricity. Household income in Columbus, OH is $65,327; 171,346 of its 386,581 households own.
Columbus, OH has 420,068 housing units, 33,487 of them vacant or seasonal. A filing named like the city, City of Columbus, is listed, so a local or municipal utility may serve at least part of Columbus, OH. Columbus, OH ranks 4th of 50 Ohio cities for the share of renter households (56%).
Columbus, OH ranks 4th of 50 Ohio cities for homes in buildings of 5+ units (31%). Columbus, OH ranks 7th of 50 Ohio cities for the share of homes heated by electricity (34%).
ZIP codes in Columbus
| ZIP area touching Columbus, OH | Share of the ZIP's land inside Columbus | Share of Columbus's land in the ZIP |
|---|---|---|
| 43207 (Columbus, OH) | 73.9% | 7.8% |
| 43228 (Columbus, OH) | 76.8% | 6.9% |
| 43219 (Columbus, OH) | 92.2% | 6.7% |
| 43235 (Columbus, OH) | 78.8% | 5.1% |
| 43232 (Columbus, OH) | 78.1% | 4.4% |
| 43229 (Columbus, OH) | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| 43137 (Columbus, OH) | 26.6% | 3.9% |
| 43110 (Columbus, OH) | 17.2% | 3.6% |
| 43204 (Columbus, OH) | 85.4% | 3.6% |
| 43224 (Columbus, OH) | 81.8% | 3.1% |
| 43214 (Columbus, OH) | 96.2% | 3.0% |
| 43223 (Columbus, OH) | 64.6% | 2.9% |
| 43081 (Columbus, OH) | 24.6% | 2.8% |
| 43230 (Columbus, OH) | 29.9% | 2.8% |
| 43123 (Columbus, OH) | 9.9% | 2.7% |
| 43213 (Columbus, OH) | 50.8% | 2.4% |
| 43215 (Columbus, OH) | 96.7% | 2.3% |
| 43026 (Columbus, OH) | 13.5% | 2.2% |
| 43211 (Columbus, OH) | 93.8% | 2.0% |
| 43227 (Columbus, OH) | 92.9% | 1.8% |
| 43209 (Columbus, OH) | 60.4% | 1.7% |
| 43231 (Columbus, OH) | 76.4% | 1.4% |
| 43221 (Columbus, OH) | 33.0% | 1.4% |
| 43201 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 1.4% |
| 43206 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 1.4% |
| 43202 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 1.1% |
| 43220 (Columbus, OH) | 37.3% | 1.1% |
| 43240 (Columbus, OH) | 99.8% | 1.1% |
| 43205 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 1.1% |
| 43085 (Columbus, OH) | 27.1% | 0.9% |
| 43212 (Columbus, OH) | 41.5% | 0.7% |
| 43210 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 0.7% |
| 43203 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 0.7% |
| 43222 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 0.6% |
| 43002 (Columbus, OH) | 99.9% | 0.2% |
| 43109 (Columbus, OH) | 65.7% | 0.1% |
| 43218 (Columbus, OH) | 100.0% | 0.0% |
Census 2020 ZCTA to place land-area overlap. Look up any ZIP.
Ohio: home prices since 2001, planned plants.
Questions on Columbus
Columbus: what is the electricity rate?
No single rate in Columbus, OH: Ohio households pick a supplier and plan, and Franklin County lists 8 utilities.
Columbus: how does it rank among Ohio cities?
Columbus, OH: rank 1 of 50 by its 906,480 residents, rank 26 of 50 by $65,327 median income.
Columbus: how many homes heat with electricity?
Columbus, OH: 130,231 of 386,581 occupied homes, 33.7%; Franklin County 30.4%.
Columbus: how much income goes to electricity?
At 846 kWh a month, 2.5% of the $65,327 median income in Columbus, OH.
Columbus: can I choose a supplier?
In most of Ohio yes; municipal and co-op areas around Columbus, OH may be closed.
Columbus: damaging storms reported nearby?
226 NWS wind and tornado reports within 15 miles of the center of Columbus, OH, 2015 to 2025, 24.9 per 100,000 residents.
How old are the homes in Columbus?
Columbus, OH: median home built 1980; 212,547 of 420,068 homes (50.6%) predate 1980, 189,094 are detached and 130,512 sit in buildings of 5+ units.
How many Columbus, OH renters struggle with rent?
93,063 of 206,758 renter households pay 30% or more of income in rent.
How big are the homes in Columbus, OH?
194,501 of 420,068 homes have 3+ bedrooms; median 5.0 rooms.
How many people in Columbus, OH work from home?
76,788 of 476,309 workers.