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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 6 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 6 cities in Ohio using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Toledo co…
265,304 residents · Ohio
Here's Toledo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And most of the time, cost index: 83. It lines up with what you'd expect. Rent: $1,060/month. Income: $47,532/year. Home price: $126,270. Population: 265,304. The strongest category is Housing at 57; the most expensive is Healthcare at 85. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $10,020 per year vs. the national median. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
188,701 residents · Ohio
The #2 spot goes to Akron, and the breakdown explains why. That alone makes it worth considering. Renters here pay $1,134/month — saving renters $9,132 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 61, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 87. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
135,512 residents · Ohio
Why Dayton ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 85 on the cost index, residents save roughly 27% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,186/month while the median household pulls in $43,454/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 63, though Healthcare (88) lags behind. Home prices average $133,852 — $333,518 below the national median.
362,656 residents · Ohio
A closer look at Cleveland: the cost index of 87 breaks down to a Housing index of 67 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 89 (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.
201,877 residents · Ohio
Columbus earns its position at #5 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 94 cost index sits 18 points below the national baseline, and the $65,327 — this is the part where it gets real — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $243,005 — $224,365 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 84, while Healthcare trails at 96.
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 83, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 6 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 6 cities in Ohio using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Toledo comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
A closer look at Toledo: the cost index of 83 breaks down to a Housing index of 57 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 85 (weakest). Median rent is $1,060/month — 44% below the national median — while household income sits at $47,532, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 6 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Toledo | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
2Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
3Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
4Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
5Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
6Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
We calculate what percentage of a $100K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Toledo ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 83 and median income of $47,532.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Toledo, rent would consume about 13% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 83 and rent of $1,060/mo, while Cincinnati (ranked #6) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,425/mo — a 11-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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 3.5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Toledo is approximately $71,797/year ($5,983/month). After median rent of $1,060/month, you'd have roughly $59,077/year for all other expenses.
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.