What it actually costs to live in Ohio.
Ohio’s cost-of-living index sits at 92 on the MERIC composite (national average = 100), ranking #37 of 51 jurisdictions for cost. That means a standard basket of goods + services in Ohio costs about 8% LESS than the US average. Median home price: $275,000. Population-weighted median rent across metros: $959/mo.
Ohio cost components
| Component | Ohio | National avg |
|---|---|---|
| COL index (basket) | 92 | 100 |
| Median home price | $275,000 | ~$420,000 |
| Median rent (pop-weighted) | $959/mo | ~$1,850/mo |
| Commute cost (proxy) | $184/mo | ~$185/mo |
Commute cost = avg metro commute minutes × $0.18/min × 2 trips × 22 work days. Refined BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey integration tracked for v1.
How Ohio compares
Of all 51 US jurisdictions, Ohio ranks #37 for cost. That places Ohio in the middle — moderate cost without being a particular outlier. For the live state-vs-state heat map see the interactive cost-of-living map.
Ohio metros — city-level cost
State averages hide major intra-state variation. Columbus has very different housing dynamics than smaller Ohio metros. Click any city for the full home affordability breakdown.
- ColumbusCOL 90 · home $265,000rent $1,199/mo →
- ClevelandCOL 85 · home $175,000rent $950/mo →
- CincinnatiCOL 91 · home $235,000rent $952/mo →
- DaytonCOL 83 · home $170,000rent $875/mo →
- AkronCOL 83 · home $155,000rent $820/mo →
- ToledoCOL 80 · home $145,000rent $733/mo →
- YoungstownCOL 78 · home $110,000rent $750/mo →
- CantonCOL 80 · home $145,000rent $800/mo →
More Ohio metros coming as we expand city coverage.
Ohio cost of living — common questions
What is the cost of living in Ohio?
Ohio's MERIC cost-of-living index is 92 (national average = 100). That means a typical basket of goods + services in Ohio costs about 8% less than the US average.
What is the median home price in Ohio?
Ohio's state-level median home price is approximately $275,000 (Census ACS 2024). Metros vary significantly — see the top-metro list below for city-level breakdowns.
What is the median rent in Ohio?
Ohio's population-weighted median rent across metros in our dataset is approximately $959/mo. Major-metro rents typically run 30-80% above this state-level average.
Are there any Ohio-specific cost-of-living quirks?
Ohio housing remains among the most affordable in the US (median home ~$220k); Cleveland and Cincinnati metros offer big-city amenities at ~50% of coastal-metro housing cost.
Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial · COL source: MERIC quarterly; home + rent: Census ACS 2024. Last verified 2026-04-19.