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Living in
Upper Arlington.
About
Life in Upper Arlington
If you're considering Upper Arlington, you're looking at a solidly affluent Columbus suburb with excellent schools and a genuinely community-focused vibe. The Upper Arlington City School District really is the heart of what people move here for—it consistently ranks well, offers International Baccalaureate programs, and the high school was just rebuilt in 2021. That said, you're paying for it: median homes run $596,000 and median household income is $155,000, so this isn't a budget-friendly choice.
Upper Arlington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Foreign-Born
8.1%
Broadband Internet
97.3%
of households
Population Growth
-2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.1% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Upper Arlington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Upper Arlington, the largest foreign-born group is from India (16.1%), and 1.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
28.3%
of residents
65 and Older
17.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.5%
of households
Married Couples
61.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.52
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 54% above OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Upper Arlington
In Upper Arlington, rent runs 54% above the OH average, and home values are 177% above the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
79.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1959
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $636,439 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below OH average
Unemployment in Upper Arlington and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Upper Arlington is 0.8 percentage points lower than the OH average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Upper Arlington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Columbus, OH metro area
Commute19.3 min avg
How Upper Arlington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Upper Arlington, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
Medium hub4.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 94% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Upper Arlington runs 94% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
19.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
716.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Upper Arlington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Franklin County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Franklin County, which includes Upper Arlington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $147,850 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $559,750 |
| 2023 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $70,200 |
| 2022 | 21 | Winter Weather | $16,100 |
| 2021 | 16 | Winter Weather | $103,600 |
| 2020 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $206,050 |
| 2019 | 25 | Winter Weather | $251,250 |
| 2018 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $959,750 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Franklin County, county-wide
Upper Arlington is about 3% of Franklin County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Franklin County, which includes Upper Arlington, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
147
per year
Moderate Days
213
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Franklin County, county-wide
Upper Arlington is about 3% of Franklin County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate84°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Upper Arlington has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.7"
Annual Snowfall
19.0"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
113
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
148
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 21°F | 3.09" |
| Feb | 40°F | 23°F | 2.63" |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 3.88" |
| Apr | 64°F | 41°F | 4.04" |
| May | 74°F | 51°F | 4.78" |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.70" |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.28" |
| Aug | 84°F | 63°F | 3.84" |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 3.78" |
| Oct | 66°F | 43°F | 3.19" |
| Nov | 52°F | 33°F | 3.04" |
| Dec | 41°F | 27°F | 3.41" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Upper Arlington
Uninsured
1.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Upper Arlington's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Riverside Methodist Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.1 mi away · Columbus
Ohio State University State Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.7 mi away · Columbus
Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare
Psychiatric · ER available · 5 mi away · Columbus
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education18.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington's student/teacher ratio is 18.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 79.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
79.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Upper Arlington (within 15 miles)
Ohio State University-Main Campus
3.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 45,638 students · in-state tuition $13,641 · 83% graduate · median earnings $67,080 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 5,562 students · in-state tuition $9,552 · 50% graduate · median earnings $57,435 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,157 students · in-state tuition $36,598 · 68% graduate · median earnings $59,196 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,585 students · in-state tuition $44,304 · 66% graduate · median earnings $58,937 (10 yrs after entry)
Columbus College of Art & Design
6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 882 students · in-state tuition $42,200 · 60% graduate · median earnings $47,378 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 760 students · in-state tuition $36,422 · 49% graduate · median earnings $54,622 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, 49 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument (49 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
49 mi awayHopewell Culture National Historical Park
National Historical Park
49 mi awayDayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
National Historical Park
57 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington Public Library
2800 Tremont Rd., Upper Arlington
Lane Road Branch
1945 Lane Road, Upper Arlington
Miller Park Branch
1901 Arlington Ave., Upper Arlington
Cities Near Upper Arlington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Upper Arlington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Upper Arlington FAQ
Is Upper Arlington, Ohio affordable?⌄
Upper Arlington's median rent is $1,588/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $155,167/year. Median home value is $595,600.
Is Upper Arlington, Ohio safe?⌄
Upper Arlington's violent crime rate was 20 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 717 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Upper Arlington, Ohio?⌄
Upper Arlington has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Upper Arlington, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Upper Arlington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,588/month and median household income is $155,167/year. The median home value is $595,600. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Upper Arlington, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Upper Arlington is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from