Question 1

What is the cost of living in Columbus, IN?

Accepted Answer

Columbus, IN's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 93, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 7% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,415/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in Columbus, IN?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in Columbus, IN, the average median wage is $86,589. The single highest-paying occupation here is Physicians, All Other at $369,300/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in Columbus?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in Columbus, IN are: 1) Physicians, All Other at $369,300; 2) Architectural and Engineering Managers at $180,830; 3) Marketing Managers at $166,610; 4) Managers, All Other at $147,910; 5) Financial Managers at $143,590. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Columbus?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in Columbus, IN is $1,415/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's Columbus data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
91	Insurance Sales Agents	Sales	$58K	$27.97/hr
92	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	Production & Manufacturing	$58K	$27.78/hr
93	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	Transportation	$57K	$27.57/hr
94	Automotive Body and Related Repairers	Repair & Maintenance	$57K	$27.41/hr
95	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance	Office & Admin	$56K	$26.84/hr
96	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists	Repair & Maintenance	$55K	$26.67/hr
97	Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks	Office & Admin	$55K	$26.52/hr
98	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	Repair & Maintenance	$54K	$26.2/hr
99	Construction Laborers	Construction & Trades	$54K	$25.91/hr
100	Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	Production & Manufacturing	$52K	$25.03/hr

Top Paying Jobs in Columbus, IN

Highest paying careers in Columbus

Affordability snapshot: Columbus