Columbus, OH

Within this Columbus city report, the ZIP Rental Landscape is a selected direct-evidence cross-section rather than a citywide aggregate: it shows 12 of 20 eligible ZIP/ZCTA matches, ordered by renter households and covering 118,384 renter households. For included locations, Zillow’s June 2026 ZORI, a typical observed asking-rent index, ranges from $1,147 to $1,556—a $409 spread—with a $1,385.50 median. The immediate decision is therefore not simply to seek the lowest index: compare an appropriately sized, currently available unit against household income, recurring charges, and the separate standards below. These ZIPs provide the most direct market evidence in this module, but they are not a complete inventory of rental options across the city.

These series should remain separate. ZORI is a typical observed asking-rent index, while ACS reports median gross rent from a 2024 five-year survey for ZCTAs, and HUD supplies a FY 2026 two-bedroom FMR/SAFMR administrative standard. In 43215, the $1,556 ZORI, $1,551 ACS median gross rent, and $2,150 HUD two-bedroom amount are different measures, even though their gaps can frame questions. Its asking index equals 72.4% of HUD’s standard. At the other end of that comparison, 43207’s $1,371 asking index is 110.6% of its $1,240 HUD standard. Neither relationship establishes the rent for a particular listing or turns HUD’s standard into a market quote.

Burden and vacancy are separate ACS ZCTA estimates, useful as a screening trade-off rather than an explanation of prices. In 43201, 56.7% of renters are estimated to pay at least 30% of income toward gross rent, alongside a 15.1% vacancy rate; its $60,240 income benchmark, calculated from the ZORI asking index under that threshold, exceeds its $43,731 ACS median household income. That combination warrants careful inquiry into the unit, lease, and household fit rather than an affordability conclusion. By contrast, 43235 has the lowest observed vacancy rate in the selected set at 3.9% but a 45.9% burden share. A lower vacancy estimate does not imply fewer affordable listings, nor does a higher estimate demonstrate choices at a given price, size, or lease date.

All interpretation is constrained by differing geographies, definitions, and release timing. ACS ZCTAs are statistical areas, not USPS delivery ZIPs; its historical median gross-rent, income, burden, and vacancy estimates should not be substituted for current asking-rent evidence. The direct-evidence selection is ordered by renter households and is not exhaustive, so only included ZIP/ZCTA matches are represented here. Before acting, inspect property-level listings for unit size and bedroom count, asking rent and concession expiration, availability date, application and parking charges, utility treatment, lease length, and income rules. Compare like-for-like units, use HUD only for its administrative benchmark, and confirm the exact delivery ZIP and program applicability with the relevant housing provider.