Columbus vs Iowa City
The short version
- Iowa City is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Columbus area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $252,900 in Columbus and $285,900 in Iowa City.
- Households earn more in Columbus ($66,082 vs $58,546 median).
- Columbus has the warmer winter: January highs of 37°F vs 31°F.
- Commutes are shorter in Iowa City (17 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Iowa City, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 938,396 | 76,229 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | +1.9% |
| People per square mile | 4,236 | 2,959 |
| Median age | 33.2 | 26.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38% | 61% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,082 | $58,546 |
| Median home value | $252,900 | $285,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,295 | $1,094 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 95.5 | 91.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 87.9 | 84.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,600 | $68,600 |
| Homeowners | 44% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 2.75% | 3.8% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.29% | 6.94% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.5 | 17.3 |
| Work from home | 18% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 6% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Poverty rate | 18.1% | 26.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 37° / 22° | 31° / 15° |
| July high / low | 85° / 65° | 86° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 36 in |
| Snowfall per year | 28 in | 28 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 21 | 19 |
| Nights below freezing | 103 | 135 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.1 | 87.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 40% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.3% | +3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +46.1% | +33.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Columbus: April to June and August to October. Iowa City: May and July to October.
Full monthly tables: Columbus weather by month and Iowa City weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,600 in Columbus and $68,600 in Iowa City. Moving from Columbus to Iowa City, you would need about $71,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.