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Columbus vs Canton for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Columbus, OH and Canton, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

Columbus wins 4–3 across key metrics
Canton leads on cash flow (5.82% vs 3.53% cap rate) · Columbus leads on population growth
Metric
Columbus, OH
Canton, OH
Est. Cap Rate
3.53%
5.82%
Median Home Price
$265,000
$115,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,380
$850
1% Rule
0.52%
0.74%
GRM
16.0x
11.3x
Price / Income
4.6x
3.4x
Property Tax Rate
1.56%
1.58%
Vacancy Rate
5.7%
7.5%
Population Growth
1.2% / yr
-0.3% / yr
Annual Appreciation
3.2%
1.8%
Population
907,971
70,000
Median Income
$57,800
$34,200

Columbus vs Canton: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Canton has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.82% 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 $115,000 in Canton, while rents come in at $1,380/mo and $850/mo respectively.

Growth & appreciation: Columbus is growing faster at 1.2% annually, while Canton is losing population. Columbus leads on home value appreciation at 3.2% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.56% in Columbus vs 1.58% in Canton. Vacancy rates of 5.7% and 7.5% are mixed — Columbus has the tighter rental market.

Bottom line: Columbus edges out Canton 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 Canton.

Columbus, OH
3.53% cap rate · $265,000 median · $1,380/mo
Full analysis →
Canton, OH
5.82% cap rate · $115,000 median · $850/mo
Full analysis →
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