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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The real story isn't in the ranking — it's in the details below. And with some exceptions, that's about what we'd expect given the state context. 6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for a…
265,304 residents · Ohio
Toledo is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,060/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 83. Income sits at $47,532. That tracks.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Dive into Akron's numbers: cost index 84 (28 points below national average), rent $1,134/month, income $48,544, and a home price of $134,376. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 61, while Healthcare runs 87. With 188,701 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
135,512 residents · Ohio
Here's Dayton by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 85. Rent: $1,186/month. Income: $43,454/year. Home price: $133,852. Population: 135,512. The strongest category is Housing at 63; the most expensive is Healthcare at 88. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,508 per year vs. the national median. That kind of value just doesn't show up in expensive metros.
362,656 residents · Ohio
Dive into Cleveland's numbers: cost index 87 (25 points below national average), rent $1,344/month, income $39,187, and a home price of $113,669. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 67, while Healthcare runs 89. With 362,656 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
201,877 residents · Ohio
No sugarcoating: a closer look at Columbus: the cost index of 94 breaks down to a Housing index of 84 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,415/month — 25% below the national median — while household income sits at $65,327, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 83, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The real story isn't in the ranking — it's in the details below. And with some exceptions, that's about what we'd expect given the state context. 6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 6 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And broadly, on a $150K 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.
At $1,060/month for rent and a cost index of 83, Toledo is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $47,532. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
What makes this tricky: Ohio — Rust Belt revival with some of the lowest costs in the US. The 6 cities we track here average a cost index of 88 and median income of $49,292. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,261/month, which is $634 less than the national median.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K 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% | $104,233 |
2Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
3Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
4Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
5Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
6Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
Toledo ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 83 and median income of $47,532.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Toledo, rent would consume about 8% 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 $150K in Toledo is approximately $104,233/year ($8,686/month). After median rent of $1,060/month, you'd have roughly $91,513/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.