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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 6 of 6 cities in Ohio beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Toledo stands out at 62 on the index, with rent of $1,060/month and household income of $47,532. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
265,304 residents · Ohio
The #1 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 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.
188,701 residents · Ohio
The numbers for Akron are straightforward: 66 on the cost index, $1,134/month rent, $48,544 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
135,512 residents · Ohio
What does daily life actually cost in Dayton? Start with the 33% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 69) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 94) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $43,454 and homes at $133,852 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
362,656 residents · Ohio
What does daily life actually cost in Cleveland? Start with the 41% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 78) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $39,187 and homes at $113,669 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
201,877 residents · Ohio
Here's Columbus by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 83. Rent: $1,415/month. Income: $65,327/year. Home price: $243,005. Population: 201,877. The strongest category is Housing at 83; the most expensive is Healthcare at 97. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,760 per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 62, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
Toledo rent up 5% over the past year
6 of 6 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 6 of 6 cities in Ohio beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Toledo stands out at 62 on the index, with rent of $1,060/month and household income of $47,532. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Rent data is sourced from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks the median rent across all active listings — not just new leases. This gives a more representative and stable signal than asking prices alone. Toledo: $1,060/mo, Akron: $1,134/mo, Dayton: $1,186/mo. The cheapest city here is $835 under the national median — that's $10,020/year in savings on rent alone.
Dive into Toledo's numbers: cost index 62 (49 points below national average), rent $1,060/month, income $47,532, and a home price of $126,270. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 62, while Healthcare runs 92. With 265,304 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
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. That's a reasonable number.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And for the typical household, 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.
Toledo ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 62 and 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 Cincinnati (ranked #6) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,425/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.