Moving to Ohio from District of Columbia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from District of Columbia to Ohio? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from District of Columbia to Ohio, you would find that Ohio is 39.0% cheaper than District of Columbia. A $75,000 salary in District of Columbia would need to be roughly $45,700 in Ohio to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbus averages 76°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between District of Columbia and Ohio.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → $45,700

To maintain the same standard of living in Ohio

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 30.6% less

Groceries

pay 28.8% less

Transportation

pay 14.5% less

Housing

pay 52.8% less

Childcare

pay 55.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 44.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ohio compared to District of Columbia.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

DC
1126
OH
284
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

DC
4216
OH
1676

Ohio performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

DC
3.3%
OH
6.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

DC
25.3%
OH
39.5%

District of Columbia performs better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

DC
$724,600
OH
$199,200
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

DC
$1,900
OH
$988

Ohio performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

DC
90.3%
OH
89.0%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

DC
30 min
OH
24 min

District of Columbia generally does better on infrastructure, though Ohio leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DC
6.4%
OH
4.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

DC
$209,167
OH
$60,669

District of Columbia generally does better on employment & economy, though Ohio leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

DC
78.0 yrs
OH
75.3 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

DC
44%
OH
21%

District of Columbia performs better than Ohio across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Columbus Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1188 mm)
76° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Washington Columbus
Jan–Mar 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) 63°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 84°/62°F (29°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) 90°/71°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) 68°/47°F (20°/8°C)
View all months
Month Washington Columbus
Jan 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) 58°/37°F (14.2°/2.7°C)
Feb 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) 62°/40°F (16.7°/4.5°C)
Mar 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C)
Apr 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) 77°/53°F (24.8°/11.4°C)
May 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) 84°/62°F (28.9°/16.6°C)
Jun 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) 90°/70°F (32.2°/20.9°C)
Jul 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) 91°/72°F (33.0°/22.4°C)
Sep 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) 86°/67°F (30.2°/19.3°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.1°C)
Nov 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)
Dec 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) 59°/39°F (15.2°/3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Ohio than District of Columbia?

On average Ohio is about 39% less expensive than District of Columbia, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ohio?

Budget about $11,425 for 3 months in Ohio (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Ohio safe?

Ohio performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Ohio compared to District of Columbia?

District of Columbia performs better than Ohio across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Ohio compared to District of Columbia?

The average high temperature in Columbus is 76°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Columbus receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.

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