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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 $75K 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 62, rent $1,060/mo, income $47,532
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
6 of 6 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K 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.
What does daily life actually cost in Toledo? Start with the 27% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 62) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $47,532 and homes at $126,270 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Toledo | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
2Akron | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
3Dayton | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
4Cleveland | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
5Columbus | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
6Cincinnati | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $55,085 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K 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 62 on the cost index, residents save roughly 49% 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 62, though Healthcare (92) lags behind. Home prices average $126,270 — $341,100 below the national median (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
188,701 residents · Ohio
Akron earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 66 cost index sits 45 points below the national baseline, and the $48,544 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $134,376 — $332,994 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 66, while Healthcare trails at 93.
135,512 residents · Ohio
Why Dayton ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. And most of the time, at 69 on the cost index, residents save roughly 42% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,186/month while the median household pulls in $43,454/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 69, though Healthcare (94) lags behind. Home prices average $133,852 — $333,518 below the national median.
362,656 residents · Ohio
Why Cleveland ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 78 on the cost index, residents save roughly 33% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,344/month while the median household pulls in $39,187/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 78, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $113,669 — $353,701 below the national median.
201,877 residents · Ohio
The #5 spot goes to Columbus, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,415/month — saving renters $5,760 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 83, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Toledo ranks #1 in Ohio for this analysis with a cost index of 62 and median income of $47,532.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Toledo, rent would consume about 17% 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 $75K in Toledo is approximately $55,085/year ($4,590/month). After median rent of $1,060/month, you'd have roughly $42,365/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.