Cincinnati, OH Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Cincinnati, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Cincinnati →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Cincinnati, Ohio runs approximately 308,870. Median household income sits at $49,191, landing below the benchmark median we track across cities (-32%).
For renters and buyers alike, Cincinnati offers a median home value of $192,000 (below the tracked median, -41%) and median rent of $893 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home prices in Cincinnati run about 3.9× median household income — a middle-of-the-road ratio, neither a bargain nor a stretch by our tracked standards. Prices in the area have gained 3.95% year over year, a moderate pace that suggests a stable market around Cincinnati. FEMA classifies Cincinnati's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $893/mo in Cincinnati would take 21.8% of your income.
$337/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($192,000) would take 25.0% of your income toward principal & interest.
$123/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Cincinnati
Median home value is $192,000 and median gross rent is $893/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Hamilton rose 3.95% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,353/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Cincinnati's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Cincinnati reported a violent crime rate of 787.3 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Cincinnati
Planning a move to Cincinnati? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Cincinnati, OH?
- For a quick read on Cincinnati: homes carry a median value of $192,000, rent runs a median $893 monthly, and household income is a median $49,191, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cincinnati?
- Comfortably affording rent in Cincinnati — where the median runs $893/month — typically means earning about $35,720 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Cincinnati.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Cincinnati?
- Cincinnati's median rent of $893/month translates to about $35,720 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $43,929 a year for principal and interest on the $192,000 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Cincinnati safe?
- Cincinnati's violent crime rate, per FBI reporting for 2025, stands at 787.3 per 100,000 residents.
See the full salary breakdown for Cincinnati →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Cincinnati's.