Latest Findings:
Community Information:
The Columbus MSA includes Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Hocking, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, and Union counties, Ohio. In 2011, the MSA included approximately 683,000 occupied dwelling units, 57.2% of which were located in the central city of Columbus. The housing stock of the MSA was about average for age and ranked among the most heavily rental of the cities surveyed. The percentage of pre-1940 homes ranked 36th (15.3%) for the MSA and 14th (16.3%) for the central city. The median house age in the Columbus MSA was 1970 (1970 inside and outside the central city). The percentage of rental units ranked 44th-least heavily rental (43.0%) for the MSA and 19th-least heavily rental (55.2%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Columbus had a higher poverty rate, ranking 35th (15.6%) for the entire MSA and 11th (18.9%) for homes in the central city.
Positive Findings:
Compared to the national average, homes in the Columbus metro area suffered fewer problems with holes in floors, signs of rodents or roaches, water supply stoppage, room heaters without a flue, nonworking electrical outlets in rooms, and window problems. Homes inside and outside the central city had fewer identified problems and were less likely to have holes in floors, broken plaster or peeling paint, evidence of roaches, water supply stoppage, room heaters without a flue, rooms with no working electrical outlets, room heaters without a flue, and incomplete kitchen facilities. Rental dwellings were less likely to have holes in floors, evidence of roaches, room heaters without a flue, rooms with no nonworking electrical outlets, room heaters without a flue, and open cracks or holes in walls. Compared to the national average, owner-occupied homes and were less likely to have holes in floors, incomplete kitchen facilities, room heaters without flues, evidence of roaches, or have suffered heating equipment breakdowns or water supply stoppage.
Areas for Improvement:
Compared to the national average, Columbus-area homes were more likely to have foundation defects; this was a consistent problem inside and outside the central city and among both rental and owner-occupied dwellings. Owner-occupied properties were also more likely than average to have open cracks or holes in the walls and water leaks from the outside.