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 4.59% compared to Columbus's 2.87%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $320,000 in Columbus vs $165,000 in Youngstown, while rents come in at $1,480/mo and $1,050/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
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.
Entry point: Youngstown offers a lower entry at $165K vs Columbus's $320K — a difference of $155K. With a 20% down payment, that's $33K vs $64K. Youngstown combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Columbus edges out Youngstown on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 2.87%, Columbus's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Columbus or Youngstown.