Ohio · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hamilton County, OH

Prices around Hamilton County, OH run 4.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $72,470 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,353 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,120 a year.

Hamilton County, OH at a glance

Median household income

$72,470$6,039 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,353HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.4-4.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity19.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential OH
Population830,774Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hamilton County, OH?

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

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,353Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,812At 30% of $72,470
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Hamilton County, OH? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hamilton County, OH, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$958$11,496$38,32015.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,051$12,612$42,04017.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,353$16,236$54,12022.4%
3-Bedroom Home$1,785$21,420$71,40029.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,976$23,712$79,04032.7%

Rent in Hamilton County, OH, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Hamilton County, OH

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $72,470 a year ($6,039 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,020/moRent ($1,353 2-BR), utilities (~$173/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,812/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,208/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $72,470 leaves after Ohio taxes

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

$72,470
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$72,470
Net 80%
Fed 10%
OH 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$58,263After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,855Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,241Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,113 / yr
Ohio state income tax$1,549 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,544 / yr

Living in Hamilton County, OH: common questions

What is the median household income in Hamilton County, OH?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hamilton County, OH is $72,470 per year (approximately $6,039 per month).

What is the average rent in Hamilton County, OH?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $958 for a studio, $1,051 for one bedroom, $1,353 for two, $1,785 for three and $1,976 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 Hamilton County, OH expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.4, 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 Hamilton County, OH?

To keep a $1,353 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,120 a year, or $4,510 a month. That is 75% of what the typical household in Hamilton County, OH earns.

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

On the local median income of $72,470 ($6,039 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,020 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,812 for everything else and $1,208 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,353 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hamilton County, 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.