NAICS 53

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Columbus, OH

Metro Market Score 54.8 (Challenging), ranked #249 of 330 metros. 3,129 establishments, 17,675 jobs.

Metro Market Score 54.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national real estate and rental and leasing average.

💰High-Cost Market

Columbus pairs above-average real estate and rental and leasing concentration (80.9) with positive employment growth (trend: 64.8). The market is competitive but still expanding, leaving room for well-positioned new entrants.

Industry Concentration

80.9

LQ: 1.04

Rank #267 of 330 metros

Wage Competitiveness

82.1

$67,520 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 64.8

Employment growth index

Rank #117 of 330 metros

Wage Pressure

17.5

YoY wage change index

3,129 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Firms in Columbus

3,129

Establishments

+3.8% YoY

17,675

Total Employment

+2.0% YoY

$67,520

Average Annual Wage

+3.9% YoY

1.04

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Ohio

#10 of 11

real estate and rental and leasing metros in state

Ohio state rank

#14 of 51

for real estate and rental and leasing entry risk

vs State Median

+14.3

worse than median (40.5)

Columbus vs Ohio Statewide

How this metro's real estate and rental and leasing market compares to Ohio overall. The state ranks #14/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Columbus	OH Statewide
Overall Score	54.8 Challenging	33.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#249 of 330 metros	#14 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Columbus

Construction 46.2 Retail Trade 46.9 Accommodation and Food Services 51.1 Other Services 62.2 Finance and Insurance 78.4

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other Ohio Metros

Sandusky 25.2 #43/330 Canton-Massillon 33.8 #87/330 Lima 34.2 #91/330 Springfield 36.0 #107/330 Mansfield 38.5 #124/330 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek 40.5 #144/330 Toledo 48.8 #210/330 Youngstown-Warren 50.9 #223/330 Akron 52.8 #238/330 Cleveland 58.1 #265/330

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Columbus's 54.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 55.0 #250/330 Oklahoma City, OK 55.2 #251/330 Santa Fe, NM 54.3 #248/330 Raleigh-Cary, NC 54.3 #247/330 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 54.2 #246/330 Fargo, ND 54.2 #245/330 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 55.5 #252/330 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC 55.5 #253/330 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 53.9 #244/330 Jacksonville, FL 53.6 #243/330

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in States Bordering Ohio

State-level entry risk for real estate and rental and leasing in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Pennsylvania 24.5 #1/51 Indiana 30.2 #10/51 Kentucky 30.3 #11/51 Michigan 39.3 #26/51 West Virginia 40.6 #27/51

Browse Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for real estate and rental and leasing across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Columbus's real estate and rental and leasing sector, the wage competitiveness component (82.1) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Columbus, OH MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment