Pros and Cons of Living in New Albany
New Albany's core trade-off pairs a real, distinct planned-community identity, top-tier schools, and a genuine current data-center economy against genuinely, substantially higher housing and property-tax costs than every other Ohio Tier B market in this project.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn morePro: a real, distinct planned-community identity and top-tier schools
New Albany's deliberately-planned, Georgian-architecture-themed community (The New Albany Company, since 1986) and its #5-in-Ohio school district (Niche 2026) together form a genuine, distinct identity.
Pro: a genuine, current data-center economy and lower city income tax
The New Albany International Business Park's already-operating AWS, Meta, and Google data centers, plus Abercrombie & Fitch's genuine HQ, anchor a real, present-tense economy, alongside a city income tax (2.0%) genuinely lower than Columbus's own 2.5%.
Con: genuinely, substantially higher housing and property-tax costs
New Albany's housing (roughly $505,000-$720,000 across sources) and effective property tax rate (2.24%-2.42%) both run genuinely, substantially above every other Ohio Tier B market and Franklin County's own broader countywide average.
Con: genuinely car-dependent, with a two-county tax complexity
New Albany has no documented COTA fixed-route service located this pass, and its incorporated area genuinely spans both Franklin and Licking counties -- a real complexity to confirm for a specific address.
Key takeaways
- Pro: a real, distinct planned-community identity plus a top-five Ohio school district.
- Pro: a genuine, current (not long-horizon) data-center economy and a city income tax lower than Columbus.
- Con: genuinely, substantially higher housing and property-tax costs than every other Ohio Tier B market in this project, plus a real two-county tax complexity.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full New Albany overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert