CostIndexUSA

Columbus, OH vs Racine, WI Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostOH
Columbus
95.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
WI
Racine
96
overall index
$1,325/mo rent

Columbus and Racine have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.7%
Columbus
87.9
Racine
92
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Columbus
93.6
Racine
93.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Columbus
103.9
Racine
104.4
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Columbus
94
Racine
94.4
Utilities5.8%
Columbus
95.5
Racine
90

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Columbus to see what you'd need to earn in Racine to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Racine, WI
$80,400
$400 more needed in Racine

Formula: salary × (96 ÷ 95.5) = salary × 1.0052. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Columbus, OH

Median Home Price
$317,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
87.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.2×

Racine, WI

Median Home Price
$293,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,325
Housing Index
92
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.4×

Racine has 4.7% higher housing costs compared to Columbus.

Income & Job Market

Columbus, OH

Median Household Income
$77,400
Per Capita Income
$44,100
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
905,748
Top Industries
FinanceRetailHealthcareEducationGovernment

Racine, WI

Median Household Income
$74,000
Per Capita Income
$42,200
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
78,900
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareRetailTechnologyFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Columbus, OH
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Racine, WI
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.