Side-by-side comparison of Columbus, OH and Youngstown, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Youngstown has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.92% compared to Columbus's 3.53%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $265,000 in Columbus vs $95,000 in Youngstown, while rents come in at $1,380/mo and $720/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Columbus is growing faster at 1.2% annually, while Youngstown is losing population. Columbus leads on home value appreciation at 3.2% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.56% in Columbus vs 1.6% in Youngstown. Vacancy rates of 5.7% and 8.5% are mixed — Columbus has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Columbus edges out Youngstown on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.53%, Columbus's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Columbus or Youngstown.