Columbus Ohio Real Estate Market 2026: 77% of Listings Under Contract in a 71-Score Market

PropertyIQ scores Columbus, Ohio a 71 out of 100 as of February 28, 2026.

The number that stands out in Columbus's data is the pending-to-active ratio: 0.7691, meaning 76.91% of active listings are under contract as of February 2026. Across all tracked metros, that figure is high. Understanding why it coexists with a 71 score — rather than a higher one — tells you most of what you need to know about this market.

Active Demand, Mixed Execution

Home sales are up 4.65% year over year as of February 2026. The sale-to-list ratio is 99.3% as of November 2025. Homes average 55 days on market. These are above-average demand metrics — buyers are active and offers are close to ask.

But 17.62% of listings have had price cuts as of February 2026 — nearly one in five. That combination (high pending ratio + high price cut rate) suggests the market separates cleanly: correctly priced listings go under contract quickly, overpriced listings sit and eventually cut. Buyers are not desperate, but they are engaged.

Prices and Affordability Are Nearly Balanced

Median listing price: $349,900 as of February 2026. Zillow median home value: approximately $321,326 as of January 2026. Home value growth is essentially flat year over year (+0.06%). The market is 13.5% overvalued relative to local fundamentals.

Median household income: $79,847 (2023 Census). Income needed to buy at the current median listing price is approximately $93,002 as of February 2026 — about $13,000 above median household income. That gap is wider than Indianapolis but narrower than most coastal markets.

Supply Is Tightening From the New Listings Side

Active inventory is up 8.91% year over year, but new listings are down 3.04% as of February 2026. Existing supply is growing because homes are sitting longer — not because sellers are adding significantly more new inventory. With 2,909 homes for sale in a metro of 2.1 million, the absolute inventory level remains constrained.

The Economic Picture

Unemployment: 3.6% as of December 2025 — slightly above the national average. Columbus's economic base includes Ohio State University, Nationwide Insurance, JPMorgan Chase operations, healthcare, and a growing technology sector. Average rent is approximately $1,484/month as of December 2025.

Zillow forecasts 2.7% near-term appreciation as of December 2025. Five-year home value growth is 14.74%.

What the 71 Score Means

A score of 71 in Columbus reflects a market with genuine demand — the 77% pending ratio confirms that — but meaningful pricing friction. Overpriced listings sit. The market rewards sellers who price correctly and challenges those who don't.

For buyers, Columbus offers a Midwest market where the fundamentals are sound, inventory is limited, and active demand is real without the competitive extremes of tighter-supply markets. The price-to-income gap is manageable at current rates, and the appreciation forecast is positive.

PropertyIQ score as of February 28, 2026. Listing and inventory data as of February 1, 2026. Rent and forecast data as of December 2025. Census and economic data 2023-2025. All data for informational purposes only.