Moving from Boston to Columbus

The Story

Boston-to-Columbus is dramatic cost-relief move. MA 5% → OH 3.5% saves $1,500/yr. Housing 70% CHEAPER ($755K → $230K), COL 41% lower. Pull: Intel $20B fab (massive tech investment), Nationwide Insurance HQ, JPMorgan Chase tech, Ohio State University.

Why This Move

Why people move from Boston to Columbus.

Housing 70% cheaper — $755K Boston becomes $230K Columbus (transformative)
Cost of living 41% lower
MA 5% drops to OH 3.5% — saves $1,500/year
Intel — new $20B fab (massive tech investment)
Nationwide Insurance HQ
JPMorgan Chase tech operations
Ohio State University + Columbus tech ecosystem
Property taxes higher (OH 1.5% vs MA 1.2%)

Cost Comparison

The money side of MA → OH.

Boston

Median home$755,000
Income tax5% (MA flat)
Cost index162

Columbus

Median home$230,000
Income tax3.5% (OH top)
Cost index95

What to Do in Columbus

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Columbus, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

Franklin Park Conservatory — 1895 conservatory with Chihuly glass
Scioto Mile — Downtown riverfront park with fountain
Topiary Park — Topiary recreation of Seurat's 'A Sunday Afternoon...'
Hocking Hills State Park (1 hr SE) — Waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, hiking

Culture & Arts

Ohio State University — Largest US university campus; Ohio Stadium ('The Horseshoe')
Columbus Museum of Art — Strong American Impressionist collection
German Village — Brick streets and 19th-century homes; Schmidt's sausage

Family-Friendly

COSI (Center of Science and Industry) — Hands-on science museum with planetarium
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium — Among top US zoos; Jack Hanna's home

Nightlife & Entertainment

Short North Arts District — Walkable High Street; galleries, restaurants, bars

Where to Eat

Columbus's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Columbus resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

The Refectory French Northwest

Long-running fine dining in restored church
Lindey's American German Village

Beloved upscale neighborhood spot
Veritas Modern American Downtown

Chef-driven tasting
Schmidt's Sausage Haus German German Village

1886 institution; Bahama Mama sausage
Hot Chicken Takeover Hot chicken Multiple

Born in Columbus, now national
Service Bar American Short North

James Beard nominee
Watershed Distillery American Olentangy

Craft distillery + restaurant
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams Ice cream Multiple

Born in Columbus, now national

Where to Live

Best Columbus neighborhoods for Boston transplants.

Mapped to the Boston neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Short North

If Cambridge was your scene — walkable, hip, art galleries
German Village

If Beacon Hill was your model — walkable historic, brick streets
Italian Village

If Somerville was your scene — walkable, hip, breweries
Upper Arlington (suburb)

If Newton was your goal — affluent, walkable, top schools
New Albany (suburb)

If Wellesley was your model — master-planned, top schools
Powell (suburb)

If suburban Boston was your model — walkable downtown, top schools

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Columbus.

Climate

Humid continental. Cold winters (20-40°F). Hot, humid summers (60-85°F). Beautiful spring/fall. 175 sun days/year (one of cloudier US metros).

Summer62-85°F
Winter20-40°F
Sun days/yr175
Rainfall39 inches

Walkability

Walk Score41/100
Transit Score30/100
Bike Score47/100

Columbus is car-dependent — most errands require driving.

Outdoors & Recreation

Scioto Mile — downtown riverfront
Highbanks Metro Park — 1,200 acres of trails
Hocking Hills State Park (1 hr SE) — falls and cliffs
Alum Creek State Park — boating, hiking
Olentangy Trail — 14 miles of paved bike path
Lake Erie (2 hrs N) — beaches, Cedar Point amusement park

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

MA 5% becomes OH 3.5% — $1,500/yr savings
Housing 70% cheaper — meaningful savings
COL 41% lower
Climate similar humid continental — both real winters
Property taxes higher (OH 1.5% vs MA 1.2%)
T → COTA (smaller transit)
Cambridge biotech → Intel fab/Nationwide
Sports — gain Buckeyes/Blue Jackets, lose Sox/Pats/Celts/Bruins

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-90 W to I-71 S

745 miles via Buffalo, Cleveland. 11 hours / 1 day.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 745 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$4,200-$7,800
Container/PODS$3,000-$5,200
DIY (26-ft truck)$2,200-$4,000
Best monthsApr-Oct
Lead time4-6 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions