Cost of Living in Cincinnati, Ohio
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Cincinnati, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 314,367
- Median household income
- $56,910
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 95.4
- Unemployment rate
- 5.7%
Is Cincinnati a good place to live?
Cincinnati is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 142 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Cincinnati keeps $10,827 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living5% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,099 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$604 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $903 of local income tax
Cost of living in Cincinnati
Prices in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area run 5% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 12% below the US average.
- Housing12% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities9% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items5% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,099 | $13,188 |
| Food | $463 | $5,556 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $349 | $4,188 |
| Utilities | $237 | $2,844 |
| Total before taxes | $2,514 | $30,168 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Cincinnati | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,025 | $1,052 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,099 | $1,128 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,405 | $1,442 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,848 | $1,897 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,085 | $2,141 |
Living in Cincinnati
How Cincinnati compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Cincinnati | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,910 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $263,300 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,115 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 59.9% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 25.7% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 42.4% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 32.2 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 21.4 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 11.9% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 3.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Cincinnati, led by Spectrum, altafiber Network Solutions, T-Mobile, Verizon. Fiber reaches 77.5% of homes and 98.7% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Cincinnati
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $10,827 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 142 of 178 large cities.
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 21.4 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,115 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $263,300, against $360,600 nationally.
Cons
- Higher poverty rate. 25.7% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 5.7%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Local income tax. Residents also pay City of Cincinnati income tax: $903 on a typical wage.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $56,910, against $81,604 nationally.
What your job keeps in Cincinnati
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $50,170
- Federal income tax
- −$3,840
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,838
- State income tax
- −$604
- Local income tax
- −$903
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$13,188
- Everyday costs
- −$16,970
a year, or $902 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $121,420 | $59,335 |
| Project manager | $95,380 | $42,200 |
| Registered nurse | $83,650 | $34,482 |
| Accountant | $80,640 | $32,501 |
| Teacher | $65,790 | $22,666 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $64,180 | $21,446 |
| Electrician | $63,490 | $20,923 |
| Truck driver | $60,590 | $18,724 |
| Medical assistant | $44,340 | $6,407 |
| Nursing assistant | $40,350 | $3,383 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Cincinnati on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $10,008
- Carpenter $18,361
- Civil engineer $44,070
- Data scientist $46,984
- Dental assistant $10,386
- Dental hygienist $47,175
- Dentist $114,653
- Diesel mechanic $20,096
- Financial analyst $36,055
- Firefighter $17,194
- HVAC technician $19,976
- Lawyer $65,442
- Lineman $40,733
- Mechanical engineer $48,018
- Nurse practitioner $63,986
- Occupational therapist $45,813
- Paralegal $21,559
- Paramedic $10,182
- Pharmacist $71,324
- Pharmacy technician $3,489
- Physical therapist $47,142
- Physician assistant $63,872
- Plumber $22,189
- Police officer $32,351
- Radiologic technologist $31,608
- Respiratory therapist $33,134
- Social worker $16,836
- Speech-language pathologist $42,562
- Veterinarian $63,330
- Welder $12,206
Local income tax: Ohio municipal tax applies to gross wages.
Compare Cincinnati with other cities
Compare Cincinnati with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Cincinnati
14 licensed interstate movers are based in Cincinnati, and 37 more elsewhere in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to live?
Cincinnati is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 142 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $50,170 and keeps $10,827 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Cincinnati?
Prices in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area are 5% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,099 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,414 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Cincinnati?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $35,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN area earns $50,170.
What is the average rent in Cincinnati?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,025 for a studio, $1,099 for a 1-bedroom and $1,405 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Cincinnati at $1,115 a month (2024).
Does Cincinnati have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $50,170, Ohio state income tax comes to about $604 a year. Cincinnati residents also pay City of Cincinnati income tax, about $903 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Cincinnati?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Cincinnati, led by Spectrum, altafiber Network Solutions, T-Mobile, Verizon. 77.5% of homes can get fiber and 98.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate