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Worthington, OH

Worthington, OH

Buildings on the western side of the 600 block of High Street ( U.S · Photo: Nyttend, Public domain

A town of about 14,938 people in Franklin County, part of the Columbus area. Resident comments and photos are about Worthington; job numbers cover the wider area.

What kind of place it is

Growing, Big-city feel

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Worthington scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Growing
98 / 100
Growing faster than 98% of metros
Big-city feel
93 / 100
Big-city feel: 2.1 million people in the metro, 22 buildings 20+ stories, 2,182 bus and train stops

Less so: cozy.

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Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

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Where it is
Worthington
Worthington in Ohio
Ohio in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Worthington's center.

47
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
51
coffee shops
119
parks
195
playgrounds
10
libraries
4
movie theaters
3
live theaters
6
museums
19
bookstores
1
comic shop
22
gyms
53
bars
30
pharmacies
5
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Worthington.

Bike lanes and bike paths
104 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
149 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 1,007 rented homes in Worthington, 86% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 31%
$1,000 to $1,499: 41%
$1,500 to $1,999: 14%
$2,000 to $2,499: 13%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Worthington rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Ohio: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Ohio DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Ohio voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

17 public school districts in this county, with about 172,805 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Worthington City · Worthington
10,810 students · 16.8 students per teacher · 19 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Columbus City Schools District · Columbus
45,338 students · 14.9 students per teacher · 118 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
South-Western City · Grove City
21,766 students · 18.3 students per teacher · 34 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Dublin City · Dublin
16,525 students · 17.2 students per teacher · 24 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Hilliard City · Columbus
16,082 students · 16.7 students per teacher · 24 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Ohio keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$295/week
about $15,300 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
Toddler (2)$265/week
about $13,800 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$232/week
about $12,100 a year
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
School-age$150/week
about $7,800 a year

For an infant at a center: $295/week here, $265 across OH, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 17% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Ohio →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

16 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Worthington. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus
Public, 4-year · 60,046 students · $12,859 in-state, $38,365 out-of-state
Columbus State Community College · Columbus
Public, 2-year (community college) · 26,663 students · $5,338 in-state, $10,917 out-of-state
Franklin University · Columbus
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 8,697 students · $9,577 a year
Capital University · Columbus
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,388 students · $41,788 a year
Otterbein University · Westerville
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,357 students · $34,899 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$326,910
What a typical home sells for across the Columbus area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 5% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $95 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 95.5 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 18 min at rush hour
To downtown Columbus, OH, 12 miles. About 18 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
68 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 1.6 miles from the town center. The largest is about 22,688,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,118 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in OH. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
5 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
24.6 per 100,000 people a year
334 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. OH average: 19.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 18.8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 2,556 people without housing in the Columbus/Franklin County area: 2,101 in shelters and 455 outside, up from 2,380 in 2024. OH: 10.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Unemployment
4.3%
The share of people looking for work who can't find it, averaged over the year. U.S.: about 4%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Median household income
$73,795
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.55% of home value a year
About $1,550 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.75%
OH's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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