Cincinnati cost of living
Prices in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area run at 95.4 against a national average of 100, ranking it #160 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 87.6.
What drives the number
Prices in Cincinnati run at 95.4 where the national average is 100, so about 4.6 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #160 of 387 metro areas. Against Ohio as a whole it is 2.6 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 93.8, rents at 87.6, other services at 91.0. That is less common than it sounds. In most places rents sit well away from the other two, and the overall figure is really a housing figure in disguise. Goods at 93.8 are themselves 6.2 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 95.4 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Cincinnati is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 32,880 | $28,790 | $30,178 | $30,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 30,220 | $97,760 | $102,474 | $102,950 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 28,120 | $37,010 | $38,795 | $37,090 |
| Registered Nurses | 27,870 | $81,790 | $85,734 | $93,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | 25,690 | $30,690 | $32,170 | $34,580 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 23,020 | $40,640 | $42,600 | $38,940 |
| Cashiers | 21,300 | $28,650 | $30,031 | $31,190 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 20,590 | $40,700 | $42,662 | $42,830 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 95.4.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | 103.6 | 112.0 | #40 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | 95.7 | 88.9 | #152 |
| Columbus | 95.5 | 87.9 | #156 |
| Bloomington | 95.1 | 85.6 | #165 |
| Cleveland | 93.9 | 79.4 | #182 |
| Akron | 93.4 | 76.8 | #198 |
Cincinnati: common questions
Is Cincinnati expensive?
Prices are 4.6% below the national average, a parity of 95.4 where the country is 100. It ranks #160 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Ohio as a whole it is 2.6 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Cincinnati?
The median worker there earns $48,490, which buys what $50,828 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 87.6 against goods at 93.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.