CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.03° N · 83.07° W · GEOID 3979002

Upper Arlington

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

OhioUpper Arlington, OHUpper ArlingtonUpper Arlington

The short answer

Upper Arlington is home to 36,293 people. Median household income is $155,167 a year and median rent is $1,588 a month, 12.3% 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 $595,600, about 3.8x annual median household income.

Upper Arlington's housing market sets it apart. Owning with a mortgage costs about $1,601 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 290 Ohio places we track. Also notable: After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $140,300 a year, more than in 94% of places its size.

#17OF 6,612

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Upper Arlington ranks 17th of the 6,612 places we rate, in the top 1%, and 2nd of 290 in Ohio.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%73
Economy 20%95
Safety 20%86
Amenities 15%63
Education 10%99
Commute 10%84
Growth 5%20
Median gross rent
$1,588
16% above the median place
Median household income
$155,167
93% above the median place
Median home value
$595,600
86% above the median place
Unemployment
2.0%
59% below 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.

What stands out about Upper Arlington

  • Value for moneyRent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.
01

Moving to Upper Arlington

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
4.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.7% from another state.
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
$63,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,588 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,189 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $595,600.
Getting to work
19 minutes each way on average; 27.3% work from home; 1.6% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Whitefish Bay, WI matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
4.3%
26% below the median place
Moved from another state1
1.7%
13% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-9.1
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year14.3%26% below
Moved from another state11.7%13% below
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 rent takes 12.3% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Upper Arlington12.3%
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
$63,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
12.3%
40% below the median place
Home price to income
3.8x
1% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
12%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$140,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Upper Arlington, $1,588 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 Upper Arlington, but easier on the budget

Places that match Upper Arlington 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
Whitefish Bay, WI8910.2% vs 12.3%$5,300Compare
Wyoming, OH869.1% vs 12.3%$14,600Compare
Milton, MA849.4% vs 12.3%$30,500Compare
Lake Forest, IL839.3% vs 12.3%$69,100Compare

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Upper Arlington? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax paid (median)1
$10,001
206% above the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
36.4%
28% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,189
70% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,58816% above
Rent to income112.3%40% below
Home price to income13.8x1% above
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$10,001206% above
Median home value1$595,60086% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.2%0% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure51.4%0% below
Homeownership179.4%20% above
Renters paying 30%+136.4%28% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,18970% above
Vacant homes14.1%42% below
Median year built119591% below
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 110 hours a year commuting, less than in 95% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Unemployment1
2.0%
59% below the median place
Poverty rate1
3.3%
69% below the median place
Income per person1
$84,831
112% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$155,167 +93%
Works from home27.3% 2.2×
Mean commute19 min −22%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$155,16793% above
Income per person1$84,831112% above
Unemployment12.0%59% below
Average annual pay6County figure$75,91315% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure791,805above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate13.3%69% below
Mean commute119 min22% below
Works from home127.3%119% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.6%86% above
04

Who lives here

Bachelor's or higher is 79.8%, 149% above the median place.

Bachelor's or higher1
79.8%
149% above the median place
No health insurance1
1.8%
72% below the median place
High school or higher1
98.7%
7% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband97.3% +5%
Median age40.2 +3%
Born abroad8.1% −8%
Household size2.5 +1%
All 9 people measures
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population136,2931246th largest
Population change since 20207-2.4%below (median 1.1%)
Median age140.23% above
Bachelor's or higher179.8%149% above
High school or higher198.7%7% above
Household size12.51% above
Born abroad18.1%8% below
No health insurance11.8%72% below
Homes with broadband197.3%5% above
05

Life in Upper Arlington

The nearest National Park Service site is Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, about 45 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1917. 2 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Upper Arlington Historic District listed 1985
  • Kilgour, Frederick G., House listed 2012

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents13.8 +35%
Playgrounds per 10k14.9 +58%
Grocery stores per 10k1.9 −9%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k20.7 +85%
Libraries per 10k1.4 +59%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −90%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi21.0 100.0×

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 45 miles
  • Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument 49 miles
  • Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park 56 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.

Students per teacher14
19.3
25% above the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
45.1
46% above the median place
Public school students14
6,452
32% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools1490% above
Public school students146,45232% above
Students per teacher1419.325% 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 10k1013.835% above
Playgrounds per 10k1014.958% above
Grocery stores per 10k101.99% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1020.785% above
Libraries per 10k101.459% above
Named paths and bike trails100.290% below
Transit stops per sq mi1021.0above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1145.146% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12285% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

The city police department reported 20 violent offenses per 100,000 residents, fewer than in 98% of the 737 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Violent crime per 100k
20
90% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
706
42% 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
MeasureUpper ArlingtonAmong 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

Upper Arlington in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 12% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 12% 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, Upper Arlington does better than 73% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 52%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,588/mo (2024)$2,030/mo$1,670 to $2,480/mo+4.2%
Median household income$155,167 (2024)$197,000$166,500 to $233,000+4.0%
Median home value$595,600 (2024)$855,000$621,000 to $1,178,000+6.2%
Population35,893 (2025)35,78034,320 to 37,300−0.1%

The median home would be worth 4.3 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.8 now.

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

09

Places like Upper Arlington

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

PlaceRentIncome
Whitefish Bay, WI$1,335$157,109Compare
Heathcote, NJ$1,623$141,295Compare
River Forest, IL$1,554$146,786Compare
Davidson, NC$1,652$166,556Compare
Davidson, NCRiver Forest, ILHeathcote, NJWhitefish Bay, WIUpper Arlington, OHUpper ArlingtonWhitefish BayHeathcoteDavidsonUpper ArlingtonWhitefish BayHeathcoteDavidson

Places built like Upper Arlington

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 Upper Arlington performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Upper Arlington, OH12.3%4.7%/yr-2.4%
Birmingham, MI14.9%4.6%/yr0.5%Compare
Highland Park, IL13.7%2.3%/yr1.9%Compare
Elmhurst, IL15.8%4.8%/yr0.8%Compare
Deerfield, IL16.4%3.4%/yr2.5%Compare
Glen Ellyn, IL12.2%5.0%/yr-0.9%Compare
La Grange, IL13.9%5.2%/yr-2.5%Compare

Common questions

Is Upper Arlington a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. It ranks 17th of the 6,612 places we rate on the Citytistics Index, in the top 1%, and 2nd of 290 in Ohio. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. On cost, space and class size it scores 80 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Upper Arlington expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 12.3% 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 $595,600.

What salary do you need to live in Upper Arlington?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $63,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Upper Arlington safe?

There were 20 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Upper Arlington?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Whitefish Bay, WI, Heathcote, NJ, River Forest, IL and Davidson, NC.

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); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

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

Citytistics. “Upper Arlington, Ohio.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/upper-arlington-ohio/

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