CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

39.86° N · 82.94° W · GEOID 3957862

Obetz

Franklin County, Ohio · part of the Columbus, OH metro

OhioObetz, OHObetzObetz

The short answer

Obetz is home to 7,330 people. Median household income is $87,304 a year and median rent is $1,379 a month, 19.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $220,900, about 2.5x annual median household income.

Obetz is defined by its growth. Population growth since 2020 is 33.9%, against 7% in its closest peers. Also notable: Population change slowed in the latest estimate: +1% from 2024 to 2025, against +7.1% a year before that.

66OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Obetz scores better than 66% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 161st of 290 in Ohio.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%76
Economy 20%34
Safety 20%64
Amenities 15%36
Education 10%30
Commute 10%81
Growth 5%92
Median gross rent
$1,379
1% above the median place
Median household income
$87,304
9% above the median place
Median home value
$220,900
31% below the median place
Unemployment
8.3%
70% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Obetz

Franklin County loses about 9.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in49,123
Moved out58,702
Net−9,579

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Delaware County, OH4,1877,675−3,488
Fairfield County, OH3,2195,116−1,897
Licking County, OH2,6213,838−1,217
Union County, OH7772,097−1,320
Pickaway County, OH8641,795−931
Cuyahoga County, OH1,3651,102+263

Within Ohio, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within OhioOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$60K
Leavers$76K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Franklin County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.4% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Franklin County report $60,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $76,000, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$55,200 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,379 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,626 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $220,900.
Getting to work
20 minutes each way on average; 11.7% work from home; 1.6% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Kimberly, ID matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-9.1
below the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8
$59,972
15% below the median place
Moved from another state1
2.4%
23% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.0%4% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.4%23% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-9.1below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$59,97215% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$76,0308% above
02

What it costs to live here

The median home costs 2.5 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 83% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Obetz19.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$55,160
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.0%
7% below the median place
Home price to income
2.5x
33% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$72,600
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Obetz, $1,379 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.0 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Obetz, but easier on the budget

Places that match Obetz on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Kimberly, ID9813.8% vs 19.0%$15,000Compare
Chubbuck, ID9415.2% vs 19.0%$2,300Compare
Munford, TN9315.8% vs 19.0%$6,700Compare
Bremen, GA9312.2% vs 19.0%$11,300Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Obetz.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Obetz? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
1991
1% above the median place
Homeownership1
76.9%
16% above the median place
Median home value1
$220,900
31% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3791% above
Rent to income119.0%7% below
Property tax rate11.2%30% above
Home price to income12.5x33% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.55% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,6021% below
HUD area median income4County figure$111,5004% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,60520% below
Median home value1$220,90031% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.2%0% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure51.4%0% below
Homeownership176.9%16% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure46.3%9% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,62613% below
Vacant homes1County figure7.1%1% above
Median year built119911% above
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 4 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 86% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Unemployment1
8.3%
70% above the median place
Mean commute1
20 min
20% below the median place
Poverty rate1
17.4%
62% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$32,052 −20%
Median household income$87,304 +9%
Works from home11.7% −6%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$87,3049% above
Income per person1$32,05220% below
Unemployment18.3%70% above
Average annual pay6County figure$75,91315% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure791,805above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate117.4%62% above
Mean commute120 min20% below
Works from home111.7%6% below
Commutes by transit1County figure1.6%86% above
04

Who lives here

The median resident is 31.8 years old, younger than in 92% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track.

Population change since 20207
33.9%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
Median age1
31.8
18% below the median place
Household size1
2.9
16% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher87.4% −5%
Bachelor's or higher23.4% −27%
No health insurance8.6% +34%
Born abroad6.1% −31%
Homes with broadband93.2% +1%
All 9 people measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17,3305237th largest
Population change since 2020733.9%above (median 1.1%)
Median age131.818% below
Bachelor's or higher123.4%27% below
High school or higher187.4%5% below
Household size12.916% above
Born abroad16.1%31% below
No health insurance18.6%34% above
Homes with broadband193.2%1% above
05

Life in Obetz

The nearest National Park Service site is Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, about 34 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1838. 1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church listed 2004

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents10.9 +7%
Playgrounds per 10k28.6 3.0×
Grocery stores per 10k2.7 +29%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k4.1 −63%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi4.0 18.8×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Hopewell Culture National Historical Park 34 miles
  • Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument 52 miles
  • Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park 61 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.9 +10%
Shops27.0 −11%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.5 −15%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.3 +10%
Child care centers4.1 +78%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
34.1
11% above the median place
Public schools14
381
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students14
194,754
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure381above (median 9)
Public school students14County figure194,754above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher14County figure18.118% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.910% above
Shops per 10k9County figure27.011% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.515% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure22.310% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure4.178% above
Parks per 10k1010.97% above
Playgrounds per 10k1028.6204% above
Grocery stores per 10k102.729% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k104.163% below
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails100.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi104.0above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1134.111% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 115, 40% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
115
40% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
1,033
15% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Heat wave risk16
98.9
10% above the median place
Tornado risk16
98.4
21% above the median place
Good air days17
40.3%
41% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureObetzAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure85°F2% below
January average low15County figure21°F16% below
Average temperature15County figure53°F4% below
Annual precipitation15County figure41.1 in6% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure98.16% above
Hurricane risk16County figure49.730% below
Tornado risk16County figure98.421% above
Wildfire risk16County figure29.153% below
Heat wave risk16County figure98.910% above
Median air quality index17County figure5323% above
Good air days17County figure40.3%41% below
08

Obetz in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Obetz does better than 73% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 84%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,379/mo (2024)$1,780/mo$1,460 to $2,170/mo+4.4%
Median household income$87,304 (2024)$111,000$94,000 to $131,500+4.1%
Median home value$220,900 (2024)$326,000$237,000 to $450,000+6.7%
Population7,342 (2025)8,6808,330 to 9,050+3.4%

The median home would be worth 2.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Obetz

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Carpentersville, IL$1,414$86,917Compare
Primera, TX$1,293$80,116Compare
Peculiar, MO$1,275$94,519Compare
Munford, TN$1,176$89,531Compare
Munford, TNPeculiar, MOPrimera, TXCarpentersville, ILObetz, OHObetzCarpentersvillePrimeraPeculiarMunfordObetzCarpentersvillePrimeraPeculiarMunford

Places built like Obetz

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Obetz performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Obetz, OH19.0%5.9%/yr33.9%
Charlestown, IN16.0%11.3%/yr12.8%Compare
Mascoutah, IL16.9%4.4%/yr5.1%Compare
Plano, IL23.5%3.3%/yr7.0%Compare
Trenton, OH19.1%0.7%/yr9.5%Compare
Hudsonville, MI16.6%7.3%/yr4.7%Compare
University Park, IL26.8%7.2%/yr-1.8%Compare

Common questions

Is Obetz a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 66 out of 100, better than 66% of the places we rate and 161st of 290 in Ohio. On cost, space and class size it scores 82 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Obetz expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $220,900.

What salary do you need to live in Obetz?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $55,160 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Obetz safe?

There were 115 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Obetz?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Carpentersville, IL, Primera, TX, Peculiar, MO and Munford, TN.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Obetz with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Obetz itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/obetz-ohio

Citytistics. “Obetz, Ohio.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/obetz-ohio/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.