$100k salary, packing up from San Francisco

change
Columbus, OH cityscape

instead of san francisco

Columbus

oh · metro 2.2M

a dispatch from

columbus

OH

39.96°N

83.00°W

Columbus is Ohio State on autumn Saturdays (the Horseshoe holds 100,000+ and they all wear scarlet), German Village's cobblestone streets and brick cottages, and a Short North gallery scene that punches well above its weight. It's quietly become a test market for the rest of America because the demographics line up so neatly. The food scene leans young, weird, and good. 'Buckeyes' here can mean either the football team or the chocolate-peanut-butter candy.

metro2.2M

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,078

below San Francisco's monthly cost

In Columbus, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
landable, recorded on the columbus entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,511/mo

52% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)

02state income tax

3.99%

$442/mo less in state tax than San Francisco

vs 9.3% in San Francisco

03after rent

$6,490/mo

$2,078 more than San Francisco

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$350k

72% cheaper than San Francisco

vs $1239k in San Francisco

05metro size

2.2M

vs 4.6M in San Francisco

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

171

pleasant days a year, in columbus.

San Francisco has the edge here, logging 312 pleasant days a year. Winter shows up, though: 29 days below 20° vs San Francisco's 0.

San Francisco hosts 2.2× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

57/100

31% lower than San Francisco

vs 83/100 in San Francisco

Closest outdoor draw: Alum Creek State Park, 16.2 mi.

·walk score®

85/100

14% lower than San Francisco

vs 99/100 in San Francisco

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

32

71% fewer than San Francisco

vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco

04 · see also

if columbus appeals, also worth a look:

compare columbus with: