On the 2026 ballot Two charter amendments on how City Council is elected are on Columbus’s November ballot. Read the explainer →
Columbus Districts
Columbus City Council

District Five

District 5 of 9 · Linden & South Linden

District Five spans the East and Northeast sides of Columbus, from the Linden and Near East neighborhoods up toward the Easton area and the Westerville and Gahanna borders. The district has significant racial diversity and includes both established residential communities and major commercial corridors.

Columbus City Council District 5 is represented by Council Member Nicholas J. Bankston, first elected in 2023. Under the current system, every Columbus voter helps elect all nine district seats.

Where District Five sits in Columbus ▲ N

District Five Other districts (hover)
Boundaries from CivicWorth · official 2023 council map
104,633
Population (ACS)
100,505
2020 Census
6
Neighborhoods
70
Block groups
60
Voting precincts
4
Area commissions
01

Your representation

Council Member

Nicholas J. Bankston

First elected 2023

Committee assignments

Finance & Governance — ChairEconomic Development & Small Business — Chair
First elected
2023
Term ends
2027
Next election
2027
02

The neighborhoods

LindenSouth LindenNear EastMilo-GroganNorth LindenEaston (partial)

Points of interest

  • Easton Town Center — Major open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment destination with national retailers and a movie theater.
  • Linden Community Center — State-of-the-art recreation facility with gymnasium, fitness center, water park, and swimming pool.
  • Linden Park — 40-plus acre park with splash pad, playgrounds, sports fields, fishing pond, and picnic areas.
  • Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens — Botanical garden and conservatory with exotic plant collections, seasonal exhibitions, and outdoor gardens.
  • Milo-Grogan Recreation Center — Community recreation center offering programs, fitness facilities, and youth activities.
  • Wolfe Park — Neighborhood park in the Near East area with sports facilities and community gathering spaces.

Area commissions

The most local level of civic input — they review zoning cases and advise Council. Meetings are open to the public.

03

Who lives here

● ACS 2019–2023 5-Year How District Five changed since 2017–21, and how it compares to Columbus as a whole
104,633
Population
1.5% since 2017–21
$72,368
Median income
8.1% since 2017–21
$1,317
Median rent
15.8% since 2017–21
$244,522
Median home value
30.3% since 2017–21
3.9%
Unemployment
0.1 pts since 2017–21

Compared to Columbus

Where District Five ranks among all nine districts. The dot is District Five; the line marks the citywide average.

Median income
$72,368
#3 of 9
+9% vs. city · Esri $68,252
$49,184$85,654
Median rent
$1,317
#3 of 9
+7% vs. city · Esri $965
$1,068$1,405
Median home value
$244,522
#5 of 9
+1% vs. city · Esri $228,261
$157k$340k
Unemployment
3.9%
3rd lowest
1.3 pts below city · Esri 3.9%
2.9%8.9%
District Five Columbus averageBar spans lowest–highest of the 9 districts

Race & ethnicity

Share of residents · District Five bar, Columbus average tick · ACS 2019–2023
NH White 43.0%
NH Black 38.5%
Hispanic 7.0%
NH Asian 5.9%
Other 5.6%
Columbus average · scale 0–65%

Households

District Five · ACS 2019–2023
Total households43,653
Family HH55.4%

Household counts are ACS 5-year estimates aggregated from the district's block groups. The tick marks the citywide family-household share.

About these figures. District totals are aggregated from census block groups. Median income, rent, and home value are pooled medians interpolated from block-group distribution tables — survey estimates, so the citywide comparison shows relative standing rather than exact dollars. ACS is a 5-year backward average; Esri current-year estimates are forward projections. See full methodology →

This page describes the whole district. Want the same picture for your own block? You can look up your parcel on CivicWorth — it resolves representation, zoning, transit, and recent 311 activity down to the individual address.

04

Public safety

How reported crime in District Five compares to the Columbus average, by category. Bars to the left are below the citywide average; bars to the right are above.

← safer than city   |   Columbus average   |   higher than city →
Total crime −14%
Personal crime −22%
Murder −17%
Rape −26%
Robbery −24%
Assault −20%
Property crime −13%
Burglary −15%
Larceny −10%
Motor vehicle theft −28%

Source: Applied Geographic Solutions CrimeRisk. Figures are percentage differences from the citywide average.

05

Get involved in District Five

Attend an area commission

Area commissions meet monthly and take public comment on zoning and development in your neighborhood.

Find meeting times →

Contact Council Member Bankston

Reach the District 5 office directly with questions, concerns, or support for constituents.

Send a message →

Vote on the 2026 measures

This November, Columbus voters decide two charter amendments on how council is elected. Understand what's on your ballot.

Read the ballot explainer →
06

Suggest an edit

See something out of date or incorrect on this page? Let us know — every district page links to primary sources, and we correct errors quickly.

Last reviewed: September 2, 2026