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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 $100K 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. That alon…
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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. That alone makes it worth considering. Toledo comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
At $1,060/month for rent and a cost index of 62, Toledo is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Fairly typical for a city this size. Income is $47,532. That tracks.
This looks affordable — until you factor in healthcare. In Toledo, the healthcare index sits at 92 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 6 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
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.
#1 Ranked: Toledo — cost index 62, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
265,304 residents · Ohio
Look, 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 62. Income sits at $47,532. It's fine. Not great, not bad (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
188,701 residents · Ohio
Dive into Akron's numbers: cost index 66 (45 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 66, while Healthcare runs 93. With 188,701 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (that's pre-tax, of course).
135,512 residents · Ohio
The #3 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 69, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 94. The 33% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
362,656 residents · Ohio
At $1,344/month for rent and a cost index of 78, Cleveland is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $39,187. About what you'd guess.
201,877 residents · Ohio
Dive into Columbus's numbers: cost index 83 (28 points below national average), rent $1,415/month, income $65,327, and a home price of $243,005. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 83, while Healthcare runs 97. With 201,877 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs. A real contender.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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% | $71,797 |
2Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
3Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
4Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
5Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
6Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $71,797 |
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 62 and median income of $47,532.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Toledo, rent would consume about 13% 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 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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 3.5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Toledo is approximately $71,797/year ($5,983/month). After median rent of $1,060/month, you'd have roughly $59,077/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.