Low Income Apartments For Rent in Columbus, OH

There are 13,079 low-income apartments in Columbus that offer reduced rents to eligible households. Low-income rents in Columbus, Ohio can range from $531 to $1,175 depending on the number of bedrooms.

Rental assistance programs support 9,331 low-income homes in Columbus where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2024, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $302 towards rent each month.

Affordable rent data for some communities last confirmed on July 2nd, 2024. Subdsidized rents typically change once a year based on federal guidance.

Public Housing Agencies Serving Columbus, Ohio

Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.

Housing Authority	Programs
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority	Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing

Go to the Ohio Public Housing and Low-Income Apartments Waiting Lists page for openings near Columbus.

Columbus, Ohio Affordable Housing Data

Income Based Apartments in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus features 9,331 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.

Low Rent Apartments in Columbus, Ohio

There are 13,079 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Columbus.

Housing Choice Vouchers in Columbus, Ohio

On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Columbus landlords $700 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Columbus.

The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Columbus, Ohio for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,172 and $1,432.

2024 Columbus, Ohio Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards

Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

	Studio	One BR	Two BR	Three BR	Four BR
Columbus, Ohio Fair Market Rent	$970	$1,065	$1,302	$1,574	$1,745
Columbus, Ohio Payment Standard Range	$873 to $1,067	$959 to $1,172	$1,172 to $1,432	$1,417 to $1,731	$1,571 to $1,920

Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.

Columbus, OH Affordable Housing Snapshot

Total Affordable Apartment Properties 320

Total Low Income Apartments 22,991

Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance 9,331

Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters 54.6%

Average Renter Household Size 2.33

Average Household Size 2.40

Median Household Income $45,659 ±$561

Median Rent $833 ±$5

Percentage Of Renters Overburdened 45.08% ± 1.07pp

Total Population 824,663

Total Affordable Apartment Properties	320
Total Low Income Apartments	22,991
Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance	9,331
Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters	54.6%
Average Renter Household Size	2.33
Average Household Size	2.40
Median Household Income	$45,659 ±$561
Median Rent	$833 ±$5
Percentage Of Renters Overburdened	45.08% ± 1.07pp
Total Population	824,663

Population and Household Demographics

Columbus is a city in Franklin County, Ohio with a population of 824,663. There are 334,724 households in the city with an average household size of 2.40 persons. 54.6% of households in Columbus are renters.

Income and Rent Overburden in Columbus

The median gross income for households in Columbus is $45,659 a year, or $3,805 a month. The median rent for the city is $833 a month.

Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Columbus, a household making less than $2,777 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 45.08% of households who rent are overburdened in Columbus.

Area Median Income In Columbus

Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.

HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Columbus, the AMI is calculated from all households within Franklin County.

In Columbus, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $101,100

Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.

Rental Assistance in Columbus

Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.

Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Columbus

	1 Person	2 Person	3 Person	4 Person	5 Person	6 Person	7 Person	8 Person
30% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 30% of the Columbus AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households.	$20,850	$23,800	$26,800	$30,000	$35,140	$40,280	$45,420	$50,560
50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Columbus AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households.	$34,750	$39,700	$44,650	$49,600	$53,600	$57,550	$61,550	$65,500
80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Columbus AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households.	$55,550	$63,500	$71,450	$79,350	$85,700	$92,050	$98,400	$104,750