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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No second income to fall back on. Our model scored 6 cities in Ohio on solo-living metrics. Toledo leads at index 62 with rent of $1,060/mo.
The real story isn't in the ranking — it's in the details below. Not the most exciting stat, but it matters. Toledo rent up 5% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Toledo has increased from $1,014 to $1,060/mo over the past 12 months — a 5% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. An outlier in the best sense.
The #1 spot goes to Toledo, and the breakdown explains why. And as a general rule, renters here pay $1,060/month — saving renters $10,020 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 62, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Single-income living means absorbing 100% of housing costs. Our model weights rent under $1,300 (20pts), cost of living (15pts), and city population (10pts) — because a social scene matters when you're on your own. Toledo at $1,060/mo in a city of 265,304 hits the right balance. Akron offers a larger city as a runner-up.
One to watch.
That said, Here's the state-level backdrop: Ohio averages a 74 cost index, $1,261/mo rent, and $49,292 income across 6 cities. That's $634 less than the national rent average. Rust Belt revival with some of the lowest costs in the US — and that context shapes every city in this ranking (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Bottom line: Toledo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (more on that below).
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 62, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
Toledo rent up 5% over the past year
Singles scoring: rent $1,060/mo (solo housing), cost index 62, population 265,304 — livability on one income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
265,304 residents · Ohio
What does daily life actually cost in Toledo? Start with the 27% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 62) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $47,532 and homes at $126,270 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Akron earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 66 cost index sits 45 points below the national baseline, and the $48,544 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $134,376 — $332,994 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 66, while Healthcare trails at 93.
135,512 residents · Ohio
The #3 spot goes to Dayton, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,186/month — saving renters $8,508 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 69, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 94. The 33% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
362,656 residents · Ohio
Real talk: a closer look at Cleveland: the cost index of 78 breaks down to a Housing index of 78 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,344/month — 29% below the national median — while household income sits at $39,187, meaning locals spend about 41% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
311,097 residents · Ohio
In plain English: What does daily life actually cost in Cincinnati? Start with the 33% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 83) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $51,707 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and homes at $244,309 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons.
Toledo ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 62 and median income of $47,532.
Toledo scores highest for singles due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,060/mo, and competitive median income of $47,532.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Toledo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 62 and rent of $1,060/mo, while Columbus (ranked #6) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,415/mo — a 21-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Toledo is $1,060/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $835 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Toledo is $126,270, which is 2.7× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Ohio has a 3.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.24%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.36%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.