Powell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Powell
Columbus
Opportunity
91 · Top 1%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
64 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 25%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
80 · Top 14%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Powell | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,451 | 914,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $195,495 | $66,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $85,284 | $37,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,485/sq mi | 4,129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $561,500 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,194 | $1,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.1% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.1% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 50 | 6,848 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 7.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.2% | -21.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.8" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 252 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.74 | 17.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 84.2% | 32.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 84.0% | 38.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 10.4% | 42.6% | 2024-25 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Powell
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Columbus
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Powell, OH · Columbus, OH · How this is calculated: methodology