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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.
201,877 residents · Ohio
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.
311,097 residents · Ohio
Dive into Cincinnati's numbers: cost index 94 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — (18 points below national average), rent $1,425/month, income $51,707, and a home price of $244,309. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 85, while Healthcare runs 97. With 311,097 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
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). And as a general rule, 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.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Here's Toledo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 83. 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. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing (that's pre-tax, of course).
135,512 residents · Ohio
Why Dayton ranks #5: 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 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — 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.
#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.
In plain English: Why Columbus ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,415/month while the median household pulls in $65,327/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $243,005 — $224,365 below 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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
2Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
3Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
4Toledo | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
5Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
6Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $48,618 |
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.