Columbus, OH
Why is Columbus different than other Ohio cities? Or other Midwest cities? Good question!
Many people from Ohio or other areas of the Midwest, and even around the country are typically a little confused or bewildered on why Columbus Ohio should be so different than these other Midwest cities. To make it more confusing, some of these cities are not really that far away.
I bring it up because it is often a point of confusion, especially in the local real estate and housing market. For most, it's simply a lack of greater information, history and knowledge. I believe if you know more. Understand more. You can make better decisions. The hoped result is clients will have more confidence in the decisions they make in real estate.
As the real estate person who always says: Know the Numbers, I will use.... numbers... to help you grasp a little more information about Columbus. So, why don't we do that by looking back at the past 120+ years!
Compare these Midwest cities from 1900 to 1950 and finally in 2023
Columbus is larger than all but Chicago, and of these 18 cities, only 6 are larger in population in 2023 than they were in 1900.
Is the housing market different here than other Ohio towns and most Midwest cities? Yes. Columbus has been growing slowly for a very long time. While Chicago is still bigger, it has lost 1,000,000 residents. Yes, a good number of those who left Chicago may be outside the area, but the key concerning housing is there were places for 3,600,000. At least at one time. Columbus has just steadily continued to grow, so there has never been a lot of unused, or abandoned homes and residences. Another likely reason finding and securing housing in Central Ohio has been difficult.
Growth creates different needs and demands. So while this is my opinion, regarding why it's so much different in Columbus and Central Ohio - just look at the numbers below. As my Daddy said to me: "Son, liars will figure.... but the figures will never lie."
The figures can be interpreted different ways - this is mine. Buying housing is going to continue to be tougher here than most Midwest markets.
| Rank CITY | 1900 Population | 1950 Population |
2023 Population |
| 1. Chicago.IL | 1,698,000 | 3,621,000 | 2,664,000 |
| 2. Pittsburgh, PA | 452,000 | 677,000 | 303,000- |
| 3. Cleveland, OH | 382,000 | 915,000 | 362,000- |
| 4. Buffalo, NY | 353,000 | 580,000 | 274,000- |
| 5. Cincinnati, OH | 326,000 | 504,000 | 311,000- |
| 6. Detroit, MI | 286,000 | 1,850,000 | 633,000 |
| 7. Milwaukee, WI | 285,000 | 637,000 | 561,000 |
| 8. Louisville, KY | 205,000 | 369,000 | 623,000 |
| 9. Toledo,OH | 132,000 | 304,000 | 265,000 |
| 10. Indianapolis, IN | 169,000 | 427,000 | 879,000 |
| 11. Columbus, OH | 126,000 | 376,000 | 913,000 |
| 12. Grand Rapids, MI | 88,000 | 176,000 | 196,000 |
| 13. Dayton, OH | 86,000 | 244,000 | 135,000 |
| 14. Ft Wayne, IN | 45,000 | 64,000 | 270,000 |
| 15. Akron, OH | 43,000 | 275,000 | 189,000 |
| 16. Knoxville, TN | 33,000 | 125,000 | 198,000 |
| 17. Lexington, KY | 26,000 | 56,000 | 320,000 |
| 18. Madison,. WI | 1,600 | 96,000 | 280,000 |
Facebook groups: Columbus OH Gov site (24,000 followers)
: Columbus Ohio residents (18,400 followers)
: Downtown Columbus (17,000 followers)
City of Columbus government info: www.columbus.gov Home
City Hall
90 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 645-3111
Links:
City of Columbus Chamber of Commerce: Columbus OH Chamber of Commerce
City of Columbus Schools (public): ccsoh.us
Columbus schools directory: Cols Schools Directory
Columbus City Parks:
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department operates: 422 parks; providing 14,069 acres of parkland to the residents and visitors of Columbus. These parks provide access to 230 miles of regional trails; 171 playgrounds; 25 nature preserves.
Check out the map or list of parks to find a park close to you! If you want to search for a park by name, please use the site search function in the main menu of the website.
Parks link: Columbus Rec and Parks (422 of them!)
Trails link: Columbus area Trails
Alum Creek Trail
Travel along one of the city’s most scenic river corridors, from Westerville to Three Creeks Park.
Big Walnut Trail
The Big Walnut Trail is a developing Central Ohio Greenway along Big Walnut Creek.
Blacklick Creek Trail
The Blacklick Creek Trail weaves users throughout the scenic Blacklick Creek corridor.
Camp Chase Trail
The Camp Chase Trail is a rail trail that stretches from Madison County to the Scioto Trail.
Darby Creek Trail
Accessed from the Camp Chase Trail, the Darby Creek Trail runs through Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Downtown Connector Trail
The Downtown Connector Trail provides west-east connectivity to the Alum Creek Trail.
Genoa Trail
The Genoa Trail is a section of the Ohio to Erie Trail that stretches from Big Walnut Road to Plumb Road.
Hayden Run Trail
The Hayden Run Trail is a developing Central Ohio Greenway from Northwest Columbus to Hilliard along Hayden Run.
Hellbranch Trail
The Hellbranch Trail is a mix of asphalt and gravel trails and runs from Spindler Road Park to the Heritage Trail.
Heritage Trail
The Heritage Trail is a rail trail that stretches from Old Hilliard to Plain City, connecting to surrounding subdivisions.
Olentangy Trail
The Olentangy Trail spans from Worthington to downtown Columbus, along the scenic Olentangy River.
Rocky Fork Trail
The Rocky Fork Trail is a developing Central Ohio Greenway along Rocky Fork Creek.
Scioto Trail
The Scioto Trail stretches through the heart of downtown Columbus along the Scioto River.
