Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Columbus

You think about retiring in Columbus but want to get additional information about pensioner life, living costs, housing situation, entertainment options, climate and overall quality of life before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Columbus in the following chapters.

Retire in Columbus – Overview

Reasons to Retire in Columbus

1. Rents are still affordable for the average retiree in Columbus
2. Competition in the housing market is rather low
3. Many pensioners find a decent place to stay quickly
4. Living costs in Columbus are not as high as in other major cities
5. Many retirees can make a decent living from their pension
6. Most retirees don’t have to work at retirement age in Columbus
7. You can experience real seasons in Columbus
8. Columbus is not an extremely hot place
9. Many recreational spaces in Columbus
10. Retirees can spend lots of time in nature
11. Public transport is decent near the city center
12. You can get around by bicycle in Columbus
13. You may not need a car as a retiree
14. Columbus is not the most crowded city
15. Traffic is not a big problem in Columbus
16. Decent senior centers in Columbus
17. More than enough entertainment for retirees in Columbus
18. Columbus has an international airport
19. You have a decent internet connection
20. Many good bars in Columbus
21. You can enjoy delicious foods in Columbus
22. Columbus will be an important city for many decades

Rents are still affordable for the average retiree in Columbus

One advantage of retiring in Columbus is that rents are still affordable and this means that while retirees in San José or other expensive places have to spend a high fraction of their pension on housing, you in Columbus don’t have to pay as much for rent and can spend more money on other nice things instead.

Competition in the housing market is rather low

Since competition in the housing market is rather low and housing shortage is not as of a big problem in Columbus as in many other big cities, you will also not have to compete with many other prospective tenants and will have an easier time finding a decent place to stay.

Many pensioners find a decent place to stay quickly

Since housing shortage is not a big deal in Columbus yet, you also don’t have to spend lots of time searching for a decent place to stay while people retiring in New York City or in other more popular places often search for many weeks or even months until they find a decent flat or house.

Living costs in Columbus are not as high as in other major cities

Another upside to retiring in Columbus is that also living costs are relatively low compared to many other major cities in the US and this means that many retirees can afford many nice things without having to overextend themselves.

Many retirees can make a decent living from their pension

In general, since living and housing costs are still fairly low, many people who retire in Columbus are pretty happy with their lifestyles while people retiring in Los Angeles and many other expensive places often really struggle in this regard.

Most retirees don’t have to work at retirement age in Columbus

Since living costs are still reasonably low and you also don’t have to spend lots of money on housing, many pensioners also don’t have to work at retirement age and can enjoy their leisure instead.

You can experience real seasons in Columbus

Retiring in Columbus can also be pretty interesting since you can experience real seasons in Columbus.

While you will have warm weather in summer, winters are pretty cold and you can therefore go swimming in summer and go skiing in winter and there will always be something to do in this region for retirees and people of all ages in general.

Columbus is not an extremely hot place

Since Columbus is not the hottest place, it is also a great place to retire for people who can’t stand the heat.

In fact, older people often struggle with extreme heat more than the younger generation and often want to spend the last chapter of their lives in regions where it is not too hot and Columbus can be a great option in this regard.

Many recreational spaces in Columbus

You will also find many recreational spaces and parks where you can sit down and enjoy your time as a retiree without getting distracted by car noise or other unpleasant things you may be used to from other big cities.

Retirees can spend lots of time in nature

Since there are many lakes and forests surrounding Columbus, you can also make nice day trips and can enjoy your time in nature outdoors so you can get lots of fresh air and can also stay fit as a retiree in Columbus in the long run.

Public transport is decent near the city center

Columbus also has pretty decent public transport near the city center and you can therefore get around by bus in an efficient manner.

You can get around by bicycle in Columbus

Not only can you rely on public transport, but you will also have many bike lanes so you can get around by bicycle in a safe and efficient manner and can also stay fit at the same time.

You may not need a car as a retiree

Since you can get around by bicycle and public transport, you may not even need a car as a pensioner in Columbus and this is great news since many retirees are not able to drive a car at an older age in a safe manner anymore and urgently look out for alternatives to get around.

Columbus is not the most crowded city

Another benefit of retiring in Columbus is that it is just not the most crowded or hectic city. Instead, people in Columbus are rather relaxed and not as career-focused as in many other big cities of the US and you can therefore just have a great time as a retiree in Columbus since you will have an easy time getting in touch with people and to make many new friends within a rather short period of time.

Traffic is not a big problem in Columbus

While Columbus is a pretty big city, traffic is still not a big problem and you will be able to get around by car or other means of transport in a pretty efficient manner as long as you don’t want to get from A to B during rush hour when streets can still be pretty crowded.

Decent senior centers in Columbus

You will also find good senior centers where you can hang out with many other like-minded people of your age and can discuss what’s going on in the world or can just play nice parlor games so you will never get bored as a retiree in Columbus.

More than enough entertainment for retirees in Columbus

In general, there is quite a lot to do for pensioners in Columbus.

Not only will you be able to watch many great sports teams, but you can also go to the opera, watch a movie, go to the bookstore, visit a museum or do many other things you like.

Columbus has an international airport

Since Columbus has an international airport, it is also pretty easy to get from and to Columbus and this is great news since it makes it easy for your loved ones visiting you and chances are that you will never run out of guests and can also visit your family and friends in other parts of the US.

You have a decent internet connection

Thanks to the good internet connection you will have in Columbus, you can also stay connected to the world so you get the latest news and can also make video calls and use social media to communicate with your loved ones.

Many good bars in Columbus

There are also many decent bars in Columbus where you can hang out with other retirees and can exchange valuable information about various parts of life so you can benefit from the knowledge of other experienced pensioners in this region and can also have a great time.

You can enjoy delicious foods in Columbus

Since Columbus is a big multicultural city, you will also find many good restaurants where you can try delicious foods and as long as you have the money, you can have many good culinary experiences in the Columbus region.

Columbus will be an important city for many decades

Since Columbus is the biggest city in Ohio, it will be an important place to work, live and retire for many decades and you don’t have to worry that public infrastructure becomes worse anytime soon.

Now that you know the reasons for retiring in Columbus, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of retiring in Columbus so you can better decide whether you still want to retire in Columbus or rather want to spend the last chapter of your life in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Columbus

1. Winters in Columbus may be too cold for many retirees
2. Crime is a problem in Columbus
3. Many dodgy neighborhoods you don’t want to live in
4. Public transport is not great outside the city center of Columbus
5. Hard to get from one end of Columbus to the other
6. Your loved ones may not understand your decision of retiring in Columbus
7. Columbus is a landlord-friendly place
8. Columbus doesn’t have great air quality
9. Social inequality is a problem in Columbus
10. Many locals think about leaving Columbus
11. You may get hit by natural disasters

Winters in Columbus may be too cold for many retirees

One problem with retiring in Columbus is that winters are pretty cold in the Columbus region and if you are a person who really loves the heat, you may be far better off retiring in Austin or other warmer places.

Crime is a problem in Columbus

You should also keep in mind that crime rates in Columbus are above national average and many retirees are afraid or just don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes due to that which can greatly adversely affect overall quality of life in the long run.

Many dodgy neighborhoods you don’t want to live in

If you don’t receive a decent pension, you may also have to live in a rather dodgy neighborhood where you might just not feel comfortable as a retiree at all and may not be able to enjoy the last chapter of your life in the best possible manner since you may just not feel safe and welcome.

Public transport is not great outside the city center of Columbus

Another downside to retiring in Columbus is that public transport is not great outside the city center and if you can’t afford to live close to the center, you may not be able to rely on buses in a reliable manner and may need a car to get around.

Hard to get from one end of Columbus to the other

Since Columbus is such a big city, you may also have a hard time visiting your friends in other parts of the city and may therefore get socially isolated and may feel lonely in the long run.

Your loved ones may not understand your decision of retiring in Columbus

Since crime rates are pretty high and the city of Columbus also has to deal with many other social problems, your loved ones may also not understand your decision of retiring in Columbus and may worry about your well-being quite a lot.

Columbus is a landlord-friendly place

You should also know that Columbus is a relatively landlord-friendly place where tenants can get evicted pretty soon in case they don’t pay rent on time and there is also no strict rent control yet so your landlord can raise your rent significantly within a rather short period of time and you may get into serious financial trouble due to that.

Columbus doesn’t have great air quality

Another disadvantage of retiring in Columbus is that air quality is not great and especially if you already suffer from breathing issues, your health conditions may become worse over time and you may therefore want to move to other places with better air quality instead.

Social inequality is a problem in Columbus

You should also be aware of the fact that many people in Columbus live below the poverty line and you will just see many poor and homeless people on a daily basis.

While this is not a nice picture at all, it may also lead to all sorts of social problems and may also push crime rates even further in the long run.

Many locals think about leaving Columbus

Due to the many social problems and since life in Columbus becomes increasingly expensive, many locals also think about leaving the Columbus region and in case this happens, part of the city’s charm may be lost and overall quality of life may drop.

You may get hit by natural disasters

You should also know that Columbus may get hit by serious natural disasters sooner or later and your home may just get destroyed. In turn, you should get proper insurance in this regard so you are covered in case of emergency.

Top 10 Retiring in Columbus Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Columbus A Good Place To Retire?

While retiring in Columbus can make quite a lot of sense since living and housing costs are still affordable for most retirees and you can also spend lots of time outdoors in nature, you should still know that Columbus is not the safest city and cold winters are also not attractive to many retirees out there.

Alternative Cities To Retire

If you don’t want to retire in Columbus, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Jacksonville

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Fort Worth

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in San Diego

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/columbuscityohio

Own research.

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.