Ohio · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Akron, OH

Prices around Akron, OH run 6.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $48,076 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,268 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,720 a year.

Akron, OH at a glance

Median household income

$48,076$4,006 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,268HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.4-6.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential OH
Population189,247Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Akron, OH?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,268Monthly market rent
Share of gross income31.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,202At 30% of $48,076
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Akron, OH? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Akron, OH MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Akron, OH, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$904$10,848$36,16022.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$985$11,820$39,40024.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,268$15,216$50,72031.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,547$18,564$61,88038.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,681$20,172$67,24042%

Rent in Akron, OH, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Akron, OH

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $48,076 a year ($4,006 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,003/moRent ($1,268 2-BR), utilities (~$173/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,202/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$801/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $48,076 leaves after Ohio taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Ohio tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$48,076
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,076
Net 83%
Fed 7%
OH 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,930After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,328Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,536Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,589 / yr
Ohio state income tax$879 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,678 / yr

Living in Akron, OH: common questions

What is the median household income in Akron, OH?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Akron, OH is $48,076 per year (approximately $4,006 per month).

What is the average rent in Akron, OH?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $904 for a studio, $985 for one bedroom, $1,268 for two, $1,547 for three and $1,681 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Akron, OH expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Akron, OH?

To keep a $1,268 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,720 a year, or $4,227 a month. That is 105% of what the typical household in Akron, OH earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Akron, OH?

On the local median income of $48,076 ($4,006 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,003 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,202 for everything else and $801 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,268 takes 63% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Akron, OH?

Homes in Ohio paid 19.2¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $173. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.