Ohio

Living wage in Columbus, Ohio

Most of Columbus is in Franklin County, where a full-time job needs to pay at least $39.45 an hour before taxes to take home four times the typical studio rent.

Pay needed, before taxes$39.45/hrFranklin County standard
At Columbus's middle rent$37.97/hrstudio rent $1,220 a month
Check a job's pay hereAll the numbers for Franklin County

Across the 35 ZIP codes in Columbus with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $790 to $1,850 a month. At the middle rent, $1,220, a full-time job would need to pay $37.97 an hour before taxes.

Parts of Columbus are also in Delaware County.

ZIP codes in Columbus

What the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent. The calculator and the official standard use the county figure.

ZIPCountyStudio rentPay needed
43085Franklin County$1,450/mo$46.48/hr
43201Franklin County$1,330/mo$42.04/hr
43202Franklin County$1,190/mo$36.86/hr
43203Franklin County$1,020/mo$31.10/hr
43204Franklin County$1,160/mo$35.75/hr
43205Franklin County$1,080/mo$33.03/hr
43206Franklin County$1,310/mo$41.30/hr
43207Franklin County$1,120/mo$34.32/hr
43209Franklin County$1,190/mo$36.86/hr
43210Franklin County$790/mo$23.69/hr
43211Franklin County$1,050/mo$32.07/hr
43212Franklin County$1,380/mo$43.90/hr
43213Franklin County$1,140/mo$35.03/hr
43214Franklin County$1,300/mo$40.93/hr
43215Franklin County$1,850/mo$61.28/hr
43216Franklin County$1,270/mo$39.82/hr
43217Franklin County$1,190/mo$36.86/hr
43218Franklin County$1,270/mo$39.82/hr
43219Franklin County$1,280/mo$40.19/hr
43220Franklin County$1,300/mo$40.93/hr
43221Franklin County$1,550/mo$50.18/hr
43222Franklin County$990/mo$30.13/hr
43223Franklin County$1,130/mo$34.67/hr
43224Franklin County$1,060/mo$32.39/hr
43226Franklin County$1,270/mo$39.82/hr
43227Franklin County$1,220/mo$37.97/hr
43228Franklin County$1,190/mo$36.86/hr
43229Franklin County$1,160/mo$35.75/hr
43230Franklin County$1,540/mo$49.81/hr
43231Franklin County$1,170/mo$36.12/hr
43232Franklin County$1,120/mo$34.32/hr
43234Franklin County$1,270/mo$39.82/hr
43235Franklin County$1,490/mo$47.96/hr
43236Franklin County$1,270/mo$39.82/hr
43240Delaware County$1,500/mo$48.33/hr

Questions

How much do you need to make to live in Columbus, Ohio?

Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Columbus needs to pay at least $39.45 an hour before taxes, about $82,061 a year. That is the figure for Franklin County, where the typical studio rent is $1,260 a month.

Does it vary by neighborhood?

Yes. Across the 35 ZIP codes in Columbus with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $790 to $1,850 a month. At the middle rent of $1,220, the pay needed would be $37.97 an hour.

How does that compare with the minimum wage?

The minimum wage in Franklin County is $11.00 an hour. The Four Times Rent standard there is 3.6 times that.

The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal and state income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent? · Method and data downloads