IL → OH · Windy City to Arch City

Moving from Chicago to Columbus?

Chicago to Columbus — IL 4.95% to OH ~6% costs $1,050/yr more, housing 36% cheaper — Boeing/Walgreens/United → Nationwide + JPM + Cardinal Health + OSU + Honda + Intel Ohio.

350 mi Distance
5 hr Drive time
36% lower Home prices
$-1,050/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

Chicago-to-Columbus is Walgreens → Cardinal Health + United → JPM Columbus move. IL 4.95% → OH+Columbus 6% costs $1,050/yr more. Housing 36% cheaper, COL 19% lower. Pull: Nationwide HQ, JPMorgan ops (largest outside NYC), Cardinal Health (Cerner bridge — direct Walgreens lateral), OSU, Honda, Intel Ohio Fab.

Why This Move

Why people move from Chicago to Columbus.

Nationwide Insurance HQ — Fortune 100
JPMorgan Chase — largest Columbus employer (Cerner bridge)
Cardinal Health — direct Walgreens pharma distribution bridge
Ohio State University + OSU Medical Center
Honda Marysville — auto manufacturing
Intel Ohio Fab ($20B investment)
Drastically cheaper housing (36% less than Chicago)
Lower COL (19% less than Chicago)

Cost Comparison

The money side of IL → OH.

Chicago

Median home$360,000
Income tax4.95% (IL flat)
Cost index110

Columbus

Median home$230,000
Income tax3.5% OH + 2.5% Columbus (~6%)
Cost index89

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 Chicago transplants.

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

Short North

If West Loop was your scene — walkable, galleries, restaurants
German Village

If Lincoln Park was your historic vibe — brick streets, walkable
Italian Village

If Wicker Park was your vibe — gentrified, breweries
Dublin (suburb)

If Evanston was your model — top schools, affluent
New Albany (suburb)

If you wanted master-planned — top schools, Intel-adjacent
Clintonville

If you wanted historic charm — tree-lined, walkable

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.

IL 4.95% becomes OH+Columbus 6% — costs $1,050/year more on $100K
Housing 36% cheaper — $360K Chicago becomes $230K Columbus
COL 19% lower
Climate similar humid continental (Columbus less lake-effect snow)
Property tax OH 1.4% lower than IL 2.1%
Walkability decrease — Chicago walkable, Columbus car-dependent
Walgreens → Cardinal Health direct pharma distribution bridge
Sports — gain Buckeyes/Blue Jackets/Crew, lose Cubs/Sox/Bears/Bulls

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-65 S to I-70 E

350 miles via Indianapolis. 5 hours / 1 day.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 350 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$2,500-$4,800
Container/PODS$2,000-$3,400
DIY (26-ft truck)$1,400-$2,500
Best monthsApr-Oct (avoid winter)
Lead time3-5 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions