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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Ohio's value. 6 out of 6 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Columbus at index 94, where median rent of $1,415/month saves renters $5,760/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Columbus — cost index 94, rent $1,415/mo, income $65,327
6 of 6 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Ohio's value. 6 out of 6 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Columbus at index 94, where median rent of $1,415/month saves renters $5,760/year versus the national median.
No sugarcoating: So, Columbus. Cost index of 94, rent at $1,415/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $65,327, which is below the national median. You get the picture.
But the numbers also reveal: Here's the state-level backdrop: Ohio averages a 88 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.
Bottom line: Columbus 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.
201,877 residents · Ohio
Columbus comes in at #1. Rent is $1,415 — we had to double-check this one — a month. Household income is $65,327. The cost of living index is 94. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. A real contender.
188,701 residents · Ohio
A closer look at Akron: the cost index of 84 breaks down to a Housing index of 61 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 87 (weakest). Median rent is $1,134/month — 40% below the national median — while household income sits at $48,544, meaning locals spend about 28% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room. Not flashy. Just effective.
265,304 residents · Ohio
The #3 spot goes to Toledo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,060/month — saving renters $10,020 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 57, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 85. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
311,097 residents · Ohio
Why Cincinnati ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,425/month while the median household pulls in $51,707/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $244,309 — $223,061 below the national median.
135,512 residents · Ohio
The #5 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 63, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 88. The 33% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
Columbus ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 94 and median income of $65,327.
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.
Columbus (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,415/mo, while Cleveland (ranked #6) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,344/mo — a 7-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 Columbus is $1,415/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $480 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Columbus is $243,005, which is 3.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.