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Columbus's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Columbus.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Columbus. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Columbus neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Columbus hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Columbus area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Upper Arlington ranks way above the rest.
We examined 39 of Columbus's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Columbus's reputation.
The Worst Neighborhoods In Columbus For 2022
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Columbus for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Franklinton looks to be the worst neighborhood in Columbus.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Columbus that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Columbus.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Columbus For 2022
/10
Population: 7,306
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $33,033 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $21,557 (2nd worst)
More on Franklinton: Data
/10
Population: 1,513
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $76,300 (12th worst)
Median Income: $24,311 (5th worst)
More on Milo Grogan: Data
/10
Population: 3,184
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $31,675 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $28,221 (6th worst)
More on Fort Columbus Airport: Data
/10
Population: 3,967
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $28,529 (worst)
Median Income: $23,333 (4th worst)
More on Olentangy River Road: Data
/10
Population: 8,700
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $49,420 (4th worst)
Median Income: $21,602 (3rd worst)
More on South Linden: Data
/10
Population: 4,051
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $65,500 (7th worst)
Median Income: $33,916 (12th worst)
More on Tri-South: Data
/10
Population: 9,534
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $64,230 (6th worst)
Median Income: $31,482 (9th worst)
More on North Central: Data
/10
Population: 16,697
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $58,285 (5th worst)
Median Income: $29,952 (8th worst)
More on Near Southside: Data
/10
Population: 14,750
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $75,823 (10th worst)
Median Income: $33,791 (11th worst)
More on South Side: Data
/10
Population: 19,909
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $74,712 (9th worst)
Median Income: $38,392 (15th worst)
More on Southwest: Data
Methodology: How we determined the worst Columbus neighborhoods in 2022
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Columbus:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Columbus.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Columbus to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 39 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Columbus
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Columbus with Franklinton landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Columbus aren't all bad. Upper Arlington takes the cake as the best place to live in Columbus.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Columbus For 2022?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklinton | 7,306 |
| 2 | Milo Grogan | 1,513 |
| 3 | Fort Columbus Airport | 3,184 |
| 4 | Olentangy River Road | 3,967 |
| 5 | South Linden | 8,700 |
| 6 | Tri-South | 4,051 |
| 7 | North Central | 9,534 |
| 8 | Near Southside | 16,697 |
| 9 | South Side | 14,750 |
| 10 | Southwest | 19,909 |
| 11 | South Alum Creek | 4,981 |
| 12 | Far South | 13,301 |
| 13 | Weinland Park | 5,611 |
| 14 | Northeast | 29,406 |
| 15 | South Central Accord | 2,511 |
| 16 | Greater Hilltop | 65,257 |
| 17 | Whitehall | 18,878 |
| 18 | University | 35,689 |
| 19 | Near East | 17,159 |
| 20 | Westland | 36,756 |
| 21 | North Linden | 27,282 |
| 22 | Brice-Tussing | 27,035 |
| 23 | Southeast | 20,601 |
| 24 | Northland | 122,528 |
| 25 | Mckinley Avenue Corridor | 5,558 |
| 26 | Downtown | 8,760 |
| 27 | West Columbus Interim | 53,633 |
| 28 | Far North | 33,986 |
| 29 | Italian Village | 2,937 |
| 30 | Northwest | 79,502 |
| 31 | Rocky-Fork Blacklick Accord | 8,709 |
| 32 | Brewery | 1,967 |
| 33 | Worthington | 14,074 |
| 34 | Southside | 5,487 |
| 35 | Clintonville | 30,675 |
| 36 | Harrison West | 1,347 |
| 37 | Bexley | 13,485 |
| 38 | Victorican Village | 3,989 |
| 39 | Upper Arlington | 43,520 |
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