The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Columbus For 2022


We used data and science to identify the neighborhoods in Columbus that are the real pits.

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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.

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:

Worst Neighborhoods In Columbus

The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Columbus For 2022

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Franklinton Columbus, OH

Overall SnackAbility

2
/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

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Fort Columbus Airport Columbus, OH

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Overall SnackAbility

3
/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

Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Near Southside Columbus, OH

Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Overall SnackAbility

4
/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

Southwest Columbus, OH

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 Home Value Median Income
1 Franklinton 7,306 $33,033 $21,557
2 Milo Grogan 1,513 $76,300 $24,311
3 Fort Columbus Airport 3,184 $31,675 $28,221
4 Olentangy River Road 3,967 $28,529 $23,333
5 South Linden 8,700 $49,420 $21,602
6 Tri-South 4,051 $65,500 $33,916
7 North Central 9,534 $64,230 $31,482
8 Near Southside 16,697 $58,285 $29,952
9 South Side 14,750 $75,823 $33,791
10 Southwest 19,909 $74,712 $38,392
11 South Alum Creek 4,981 $95,450 $49,726
12 Far South 13,301 $78,615 $39,897
13 Weinland Park 5,611 $76,000 $18,133
14 Northeast 29,406 $81,032 $34,150
15 South Central Accord 2,511 $151,800 $53,556
16 Greater Hilltop 65,257 $74,258 $37,375
17 Whitehall 18,878 $77,695 $39,753
18 University 35,689 $77,338 $28,806
19 Near East 17,159 $93,138 $32,468
20 Westland 36,756 $113,830 $49,688
21 North Linden 27,282 $77,991 $38,485
22 Brice-Tussing 27,035 $113,760 $51,585
23 Southeast 20,601 $111,900 $53,235
24 Northland 122,528 $123,442 $54,666
25 Mckinley Avenue Corridor 5,558 $129,933 $50,635
26 Downtown 8,760 $256,457 $44,875
27 West Columbus Interim 53,633 $162,432 $72,645
28 Far North 33,986 $189,350 $77,465
29 Italian Village 2,937 $244,800 $61,624
30 Northwest 79,502 $176,663 $71,352
31 Rocky-Fork Blacklick Accord 8,709 $186,386 $80,400
32 Brewery 1,967 $331,050 $75,120
33 Worthington 14,074 $235,220 $87,419
34 Southside 5,487 $271,671 $75,000
35 Clintonville 30,675 $209,483 $76,688
36 Harrison West 1,347 $254,550 $79,066
37 Bexley 13,485 $337,683 $114,868
38 Victorican Village 3,989 $264,575 $69,438
39 Upper Arlington 43,520 $335,316 $102,607

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Columbus.

About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.