Darlington, WI vs Columbus Grove, OH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Columbus Grove, OH has a modeled overall cost index 15.6% lower than Darlington, WI.

Darlington, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,050 / month
Columbus Grove, OH · modeled 2BR rent: $1,120 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Darlington, WI and Columbus Grove, OH using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Darlington, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,118/month in Columbus Grove, OH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $136,589 in Columbus Grove, OH

Regional cost estimates: Darlington, WI uses Madison, WI. Columbus Grove, OH uses Fort Wayne, IN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,118

Savings

Annual Impact

$13.4K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Darlington, WI

Population:3K

Cost Index:

92.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$217K

Columbus Grove, OH

Population:2K

Cost Index:

77.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$226K

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Darlington, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 3K residents.

Columbus Grove, OH

The Buckeye State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Darlington, WI vs Columbus Grove, OH

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Darlington, WI	Columbus Grove, OH	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,322/mo	$1,637/mo	↓ $685less	29.5%
Other	$1,677/mo	$1,489/mo	↓ $188less	11.2%
Transportation	$1,318/mo	$1,188/mo	↓ $130less	9.8%
Healthcare	$718/mo	$601/mo	↓ $117less	16.3%
All Utilities	$508/mo	$519/mo	↑ $11.21more	2.2%
Groceries	$958/mo	$949/mo	↓ $9.44less	1.0%

Housing

↓ 29.5%

Darlington, WI

$2,322

Columbus Grove, OH

$1,637

Difference

$685

less

Other

↓ 11.2%

Darlington, WI

$1,677

Columbus Grove, OH

$1,489

Difference

$188

less

Transportation

↓ 9.8%

Darlington, WI

$1,318

Columbus Grove, OH

$1,188

Difference

$130

less

Healthcare

↓ 16.3%

Darlington, WI

$718

Columbus Grove, OH

$601

Difference

$117

less

All Utilities

↑ 2.2%

Darlington, WI

$508

Columbus Grove, OH

$519

Difference

$11.21

Groceries

↓ 1.0%

Darlington, WI

$958

Columbus Grove, OH

$949

Difference

$9.44

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$750

To$850

↑ $100

1 Bed

From$880

To$860

↓ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,050

To$1,120

↑ $70.00

3 Bed

From$1,460

To$1,350

↓ $110

Darlington, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $880–$880/mo

Columbus Grove, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $860–$860/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Darlington, WI

$6,382

Monthly in Columbus Grove, OH

$1,118

Difference

Home Values

Darlington

Columbus Grove

$217K

Median Value

$226K

↑ +14.8%

YoY Change

↑ +6.4%

↑ +45.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +40.6%

Homes in Columbus Grove are 5% more expensive than Darlington

Calculate payment - Darlington Calculate payment - Columbus Grove

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$369

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.9%

Rate difference

Darlington, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Columbus Grove, OH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Ohio State Tax

Effective: 3.0%

$4.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.6%

$41.4K

Take-Home Pay

$9,047/month

$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

Darlington, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Columbus Grove, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:1.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Darlington

Columbus Grove

42 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

72.1%

Good Air Days

62.6%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

91 Moderate

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

17 days

Before moving from Darlington, WI to Columbus Grove, OH

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Columbus Grove, OH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Darlington, WI. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Darlington to Columbus Grove moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Columbus Grove, OH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Darlington, WI vs Columbus Grove, OH

How do the cost estimates for Darlington, WI and Columbus Grove, OH compare?

Columbus Grove, OH has a modeled overall cost index 15.6% lower than Darlington, WI. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Darlington, WI, the model estimates $136,589 in Columbus Grove, OH. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Darlington, WI and Columbus Grove, OH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,050/month in Darlington, WI and $1,120/month in Columbus Grove, OH. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Wisconsin and Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com