Example household · Morgantown, WV · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Columbus skyline

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Morgantown vs Columbus

Morgantown and Columbus

Photo: Paul Wasneski / Wikimedia, Public domain

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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So you know: homicide deaths in Columbus are above the US rate in this release, 8.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Morgantown to Columbus

IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Morgantown to Columbus above the cutoff in 2022-2023.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $869 in Morgantown and $1,176 in Columbus. Morgantown has a state tax on wages. Columbus has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbus is 97% of the national level for the same work, against 83% in Morgantown.

Columbus averages 179 sunny days, with July highs around 85°F and January nights around 21°F. Morgantown is 186 sunny days, 86°F in July, 29°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Columbus and 24 in Morgantown.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

The IRS did not publish a large enough Morgantown → Columbus pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Morgantown and Columbus changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 197 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,750–$3,250
Container or pod
$1,200–$2,200
Rent a truck
$450–$850

Movers in Columbus and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Columbus cheaper than Morgantown after tax and rent?

No. Columbus leaves about $270 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $869 in Morgantown and $1,176 in Columbus.

Does Columbus have state income tax?

Columbus is in Ohio, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.50%.

Did people actually move from Morgantown to Columbus?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.