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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 $60K 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 com…
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 83, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Toledo | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
2Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
3Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
4Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
5Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
6Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K 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.
Nothing too surprising there.
The numbers for Toledo are straightforward: 83 on the cost index, $1,060/month rent, $47,532 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That tracks (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Before celebrating, check the next metric: State context matters: Ohio's 6 cities average a 88 cost index with $1,261/month median rent and $49,292 household income. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Rust Belt revival with some of the lowest costs in the US. What the trend analysis reveals: one of these cities is moving in the wrong direction.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K 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.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Why Toledo ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 83 on the cost index, residents save roughly 29% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,060/month while the median household pulls in $47,532/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 57, though Healthcare (85) lags behind. Home prices average $126,270 — $341,100 below the national median.
188,701 residents · Ohio
The #2 spot goes to Akron, and the breakdown explains why. 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 (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
135,512 residents · Ohio
Why Dayton ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. And as a general rule, at 85 on the cost index, residents save roughly 27% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,186/month — this is the part where it gets real — 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. Solidly above average.
362,656 residents · Ohio
Why Cleveland ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 87 on the cost index, residents save roughly 25% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,344/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $39,187/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 67, though Healthcare (89) lags behind. That alone makes it worth considering. Home prices average $113,669 — $353,701 below the national median.
201,877 residents · Ohio
Here's Columbus by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And broadly, cost index: 94. You get the picture. Rent: $1,415/month. Income: $65,327/year. Home price: $243,005. Population: 201,877. The strongest category is Housing at 84; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,760 per year vs. the national median. This combination is rare — and valuable.
We calculate what percentage of a $60K 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 $60K salary in Toledo, rent would consume about 21% 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 $60K in Toledo is approximately $45,057/year ($3,755/month). After median rent of $1,060/month, you'd have roughly $32,337/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.