Lancaster and Columbus receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lancaster
Columbus
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 25%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
26 · Bottom 18%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,249 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,133 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,001 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,166/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,900 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -67.8% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 252 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.45 | 17.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.6% | 32.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.9% | 38.7% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Lancaster, OH · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology