Finding an affordable abode in Ohio is as easy as catching a breeze off Lake Erie in the heart of the heartland.
The cheapest places to live in Ohio are proof positive of the Buckeye State’s reputation for providing quality living at an affordable cost. You don’t need to be raking in the big bucks like the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback to afford a home in these cities.
Our methodology for researching the most affordable cities in Ohio combines Saturday Night Science with Census data on home prices, cost of living, and incomes. We discovered you’ll find affordable places around cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus, to smaller towns.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Ohio
What is the most affordable place to live in Ohio? The most affordable place to live in Ohio is Galion after crunching data from the US Census in terms of median housing costs, median income, and overall cost of living for cities with over 5,000 residents.
So grab some Skyline Chili and a cold Yuengling, and read on to learn more about Ohio’s cheapest places to live.
Check out some more reading about Ohio and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio For 2025
/10
Population: 10,358
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 76
Median Income: $45,377
Median Home Price: $100,900
Median Rent: $741
Galion, Ohio’s cheapest city, has a competitive $100,900 average home price and a cost of living index at 76. Located at the junction of Crawford, Morrow, and Richland counties, this city of 10,358 people has an average rent of $741.
Galion’s blend of low expenses and community events like Oktoberfest offers residents cost-conscious camaraderie.
More on Galion: Data
/10
Population: 59,605
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 77
Median Income: $34,746
Median Home Price: $58,400
Median Rent: $718
Youngstown, halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh in Northeast Ohio, ranks as the second cheapest city in Ohio. With an average home price of $58,400, the cost of living index comes in at 77.
Affordable things to do in Youngstown include Mill Creek Wick Recreation Area and Wick Park to fill up a weekend.
More on Youngstown: Data
I’ve lived in youngstown or it’s suburbs all my life. I am happy with youngstown but is it just I do not know a different way or is there problems any place you go.
Home is what we made it along with many of success stories came from youngstown also.
/10
Population: 5,426
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 78
Median Income: $55,159
Median Home Price: $107,900
Median Rent: $749
Wellston, a small city located in southeastern Ohio, is a great option for those looking for an affordable place to call home. With a median home value of $107,900 and median rent of $749, the cost of living in Wellston is well below the national average.
Wellston still offers its residents plenty of amenities and attractions like Route 327 Ball Field. The city is home to several parks and outdoor recreational areas, making it a great spot for nature lovers. Additionally, Wellston’s close proximity to major highways and cities like Columbus and Cincinnati make it an ideal location for commuters.
More on Wellston: Data
/10
Population: 10,046
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $37,900
Median Home Price: $116,000
Median Rent: $743
An hour and change east of Columbus, Cambridge placed fourth on our list of the cheapest cities in Ohio. You can save more of the city’s average $37,900 income because the cost of living index is 13.2% cheaper than the state average.
Cambridge might not be as famous as the university in England, but Cambridge, OH, is close to Salt Fork State Park for a free afternoon hike.
More on Cambridge: Data
/10
Population: 8,706
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $52,760
Median Home Price: $117,300
Median Rent: $724
If you’re looking for an affordable place to call home in Ohio, look no further than Shelby. With a median home value of just $117,300 and median rent of $724, living costs are significantly lower compared to other cities in the state.
Shelby is a great place to live. The city boasts a population of 8,706 and a low unemployment rate of 3.87%, meaning there are plenty of job opportunities available. Plus, you can enjoy outdoor activities at Black Fork Commons, which offers amenities like an amphitheater, pavilion, and a walking path. McBride Park is another option with a playground and a Little League Baseball Complex.
More on Shelby: Data
/10
Population: 367,523
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $39,187
Median Home Price: $94,100
Median Rent: $894
It’s always great to see a major city on the list of the most affordable, and Cleveland takes the sixth spot in Ohio. Cleveland offers a ton of economic opportunities mixed with affordable home prices. According to Zillow, the average home price is the 11th lowest in the state at $94,100.
Free things to do in the city include the Cleveland Museum of Art, Public Square, and Edgewater Beach.
More on Cleveland: Data
Cleveland has all the benefits of a big city without the heavy traffic and high prices. There are great sports, art museums, plays, and restaurants.
The east 4th street area and the Flats stand out with great places to eat, drink, and hang out.
/10
Population: 47,686
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $42,605
Median Home Price: $110,600
Median Rent: $768
Mansfield has a $110,600 average home price and a $42,605 income, which leads to a price-to-income ratio of 2.60. A manageable 80 overall cost of living index is 11 points lower than the state average. The overall cost of living index includes low index values for utilities, services, and healthcare.
Mansfield is located halfway between Cleveland and Columbus.
More on Mansfield: Data
/10
Population: 19,974
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $50,812
Median Home Price: $138,700
Median Rent: $1,102
Whitehall, a suburb of Columbus in Franklin County, ranked eighth for affordability in Ohio. It has as the #70.0 cheapest median home price statewide. With an overall cost of living index at 80, the 19,974 residents save 12.1% relative to the Ohio average on groceries, services, and utilities.
Fun things to do in Whitehall include Big Walnut Park and the Whitehall Community Park YMCA.
More on Whitehall: Data
/10
Population: 19,008
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $57,310
Median Home Price: $146,100
Median Rent: $840
Ashland, the ninth most affordable city in Ohio, is situated between Cleveland and Columbus. It offers a cost of living 12.1% below the national and state average. A $146,100 average home price makes it an accessible housing market. The $840 median rent meshes well with a $57,310 average income.
The town has Brookside West Park and Aerohio Skydiving for local fun.
More on Ashland: Data
/10
Population: 12,748
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $46,664
Median Home Price: $147,200
Median Rent: $710
You’ll save green in Greenville, the tenth cheapest city in Ohio. A Dayton suburb, Greenville has an overall cost of living of 80 supported by a home price of $147,200 and a $710. The town has low costs of living for utilities, services, and healthcare.
You can take advantage of Greenville City Park in town and short day trips to Indianapolis and Dayton for more things to do.
More on Greenville: Data
Cheapest places to live in Ohio FAQs
The county in Ohio with the lowest cost of living is Gallia County. The average living wage in Gallia County is $80,340 according to MIT data. Gallia County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Ohio as a whole. Childcare costs $12,687 a year in Gallia County for two children compared to the Ohio average of $19,242. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $8,808 per year in Gallia County compared to $10,291 on average in Ohio.
The cost of living in Ohio is 0.3% lower than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Ohio is $89,500 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Ohio household is $58,116.
The cheapest housing market in Ohio is Youngstown. The average home value in Youngstown is $46,900, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Ohio is $151,400, almost 3.2 times higher than Youngstown.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Buckeye State for 2025
Determining affordability for places in Ohio boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 for Ohio using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Ohio to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 252 places in Ohio that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Ohio with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Galion.
We updated this article for 2025. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Ohio.
Ohio Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Ohio for 2025, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Ohio.
The cheapest cities in Ohio are Galion, Youngstown, Wellston, Cambridge, Shelby, Cleveland, Mansfield, Whitehall, Ashland, and Greenville.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Ohio according to the data:
- The Village of Indian Hill
- New Albany
- Pepper Pike
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galion | 10,358 | 76 | $45,377 | $100,900 | $741 |
| 2 | Youngstown | 59,605 | 77 | $34,746 | $58,400 | $718 |
| 3 | Wellston | 5,426 | 78 | $55,159 | $107,900 | $749 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 10,046 | 79 | $37,900 | $116,000 | $743 |
| 5 | Shelby | 8,706 | 79 | $52,760 | $117,300 | $724 |
| 6 | Cleveland | 367,523 | 80 | $39,187 | $94,100 | $894 |
| 7 | Mansfield | 47,686 | 80 | $42,605 | $110,600 | $768 |
| 8 | Whitehall | 19,974 | 80 | $50,812 | $138,700 | $1,102 |
| 9 | Ashland | 19,008 | 80 | $57,310 | $146,100 | $840 |
| 10 | Greenville | 12,748 | 80 | $46,664 | $147,200 | $710 |
| 11 | Akron | 189,526 | 81 | $48,544 | $111,200 | $930 |
| 12 | Dayton | 136,741 | 81 | $43,454 | $93,200 | $866 |
| 13 | Marion | 35,771 | 81 | $45,829 | $105,900 | $848 |
| 14 | Barberton | 24,977 | 81 | $48,943 | $120,100 | $794 |
| 15 | Sandusky | 24,748 | 81 | $47,827 | $104,800 | $848 |
| 16 | Zanesville | 24,726 | 81 | $39,085 | $106,900 | $812 |
| 17 | Niles | 18,301 | 81 | $49,987 | $108,400 | $787 |
| 18 | Fostoria | 12,671 | 81 | $52,943 | $81,500 | $759 |
| 19 | Bucyrus | 11,619 | 81 | $53,169 | $122,000 | $735 |
| 20 | Kenton | 7,607 | 81 | $47,667 | $98,100 | $642 |
| 21 | Jackson | 6,222 | 81 | $53,609 | $128,300 | $784 |
| 22 | Willard | 6,174 | 81 | $54,572 | $110,500 | $853 |
| 23 | Uhrichsville | 5,221 | 81 | $43,466 | $108,500 | $863 |
| 24 | Canton | 70,105 | 82 | $39,754 | $94,400 | $826 |
| 25 | Warren | 39,057 | 82 | $36,955 | $80,100 | $759 |
| 26 | Alliance | 21,574 | 82 | $54,608 | $113,300 | $798 |
| 27 | Washington Court House | 14,406 | 82 | $55,571 | $148,100 | $783 |
| 28 | East Cleveland | 13,666 | 82 | $22,883 | $68,900 | $761 |
| 29 | Coshocton | 11,056 | 82 | $48,819 | $121,400 | $725 |
| 30 | Struthers | 9,995 | 82 | $51,894 | $92,800 | $845 |
| 31 | Eaton | 8,353 | 82 | $51,731 | $134,700 | $769 |
| 32 | Campbell | 7,812 | 82 | $41,368 | $77,400 | $732 |
| 33 | Garfield Heights | 29,369 | 83 | $52,006 | $100,000 | $1,085 |
| 34 | Maple Heights | 23,350 | 83 | $52,823 | $89,600 | $1,322 |
| 35 | Piqua | 20,533 | 83 | $63,770 | $124,900 | $896 |
| 36 | Girard | 9,521 | 83 | $42,861 | $105,700 | $736 |
| 37 | Logan | 7,077 | 83 | $52,680 | $143,000 | $719 |
| 38 | Riverside | 24,432 | 84 | $59,271 | $139,100 | $1,015 |
| 39 | Ashtabula | 17,919 | 84 | $43,782 | $99,200 | $790 |
| 40 | East Liverpool | 9,869 | 84 | $37,262 | $78,100 | $717 |
| 41 | Bryan | 8,664 | 84 | $50,295 | $132,000 | $820 |
| 42 | Napoleon | 8,561 | 84 | $73,417 | $139,500 | $808 |
| 43 | Bellevue | 8,201 | 84 | $57,534 | $130,100 | $733 |
| 44 | Hubbard | 7,600 | 84 | $62,468 | $123,600 | $835 |
| 45 | Delphos | 7,063 | 84 | $58,359 | $125,400 | $830 |
| 46 | Obetz | 6,293 | 84 | $81,200 | $191,700 | $1,165 |
| 47 | Port Clinton | 5,999 | 84 | $58,524 | $142,100 | $882 |
| 48 | Toledo | 268,461 | 85 | $47,532 | $107,000 | $880 |
| 49 | Lorain | 65,207 | 85 | $45,799 | $123,500 | $839 |
| 50 | Euclid | 48,991 | 85 | $48,696 | $114,700 | $984 |
| 51 | Lima | 35,304 | 85 | $43,370 | $95,900 | $865 |
| 52 | Trotwood | 23,041 | 85 | $49,082 | $99,500 | $974 |
| 53 | Chillicothe | 21,958 | 85 | $49,193 | $145,900 | $842 |
| 54 | Norwalk | 17,054 | 85 | $58,940 | $156,000 | $804 |
| 55 | Mount Vernon | 16,802 | 85 | $54,335 | $161,400 | $909 |
| 56 | Fremont | 15,851 | 85 | $50,974 | $115,400 | $809 |
| 57 | Circleville | 14,144 | 85 | $56,225 | $182,400 | $903 |
| 58 | Warrensville Heights | 13,585 | 85 | $49,256 | $111,200 | $952 |
| 59 | Salem | 11,805 | 85 | $50,250 | $117,400 | $771 |
| 60 | Ironton | 10,585 | 85 | $45,694 | $112,400 | $760 |
| 61 | Orrville | 8,361 | 85 | $70,103 | $178,500 | $851 |
| 62 | Upper Sandusky | 6,580 | 85 | $72,379 | $151,300 | $754 |
| 63 | Springfield | 58,410 | 86 | $45,883 | $107,600 | $805 |
| 64 | Middletown | 50,607 | 86 | $54,985 | $148,300 | $974 |
| 65 | Newark | 50,393 | 86 | $58,920 | $174,100 | $926 |
| 66 | Massillon | 32,177 | 86 | $55,308 | $138,800 | $846 |
| 67 | Tiffin | 17,814 | 86 | $55,700 | $129,200 | $834 |
| 68 | New Philadelphia | 17,563 | 86 | $60,932 | $164,600 | $866 |
| 69 | Dover | 13,094 | 86 | $61,918 | $172,600 | $1,004 |
| 70 | Conneaut | 12,378 | 86 | $50,585 | $126,700 | $762 |
| 71 | Franklin | 11,670 | 86 | $58,134 | $170,800 | $976 |
| 72 | Urbana | 11,153 | 86 | $66,768 | $147,300 | $911 |
| 73 | Celina | 11,017 | 86 | $66,142 | $158,800 | $814 |
| 74 | Bedford Heights | 10,876 | 86 | $47,066 | $137,500 | $977 |
| 75 | Van Wert | 10,710 | 86 | $53,632 | $109,700 | $739 |
| 76 | Moraine | 6,503 | 86 | $44,648 | $128,100 | $959 |
| 77 | Geneva | 5,912 | 86 | $48,357 | $138,900 | $821 |
| 78 | Elyria | 52,833 | 87 | $53,204 | $142,800 | $859 |
| 79 | Fairborn | 34,506 | 87 | $55,966 | $169,600 | $968 |
| 80 | Wooster | 27,012 | 87 | $65,888 | $198,400 | $882 |
| 81 | South Euclid | 21,606 | 87 | $78,782 | $134,800 | $1,298 |
| 82 | Portsmouth | 17,919 | 87 | $35,319 | $95,000 | $758 |
| 83 | Defiance | 16,830 | 87 | $63,118 | $134,600 | $841 |
| 84 | Marietta | 13,282 | 87 | $45,986 | $145,700 | $828 |
| 85 | Bedford | 12,960 | 87 | $56,563 | $124,900 | $1,061 |
| 86 | Ravenna | 11,286 | 87 | $52,368 | $129,400 | $885 |
| 87 | Brooklyn | 11,203 | 87 | $69,535 | $153,000 | $944 |
| 88 | London | 10,403 | 87 | $60,364 | $194,800 | $912 |
| 89 | Wapakoneta | 9,867 | 87 | $61,628 | $146,000 | $789 |
| 90 | North College Hill | 9,564 | 87 | $63,031 | $125,200 | $991 |
| 91 | St. Marys | 8,319 | 87 | $72,056 | $138,500 | $835 |
| 92 | Belpre | 6,668 | 87 | $50,930 | $148,300 | $818 |
| 93 | Ontario | 6,649 | 87 | $65,905 | $163,300 | $1,059 |
| 94 | Martins Ferry | 6,192 | 87 | $43,073 | $92,800 | $809 |
| 95 | Rittman | 6,033 | 87 | $64,492 | $153,200 | $749 |
| 96 | Groveport | 5,916 | 87 | $91,545 | $245,200 | $1,088 |
| 97 | New Carlisle | 5,552 | 87 | $61,483 | $111,900 | $820 |
| 98 | Columbus | 906,480 | 88 | $65,327 | $234,500 | $1,224 |
| 99 | Kettering | 57,442 | 88 | $71,619 | $192,500 | $983 |
| 100 | Lancaster | 40,902 | 88 | $54,901 | $180,200 | $999 |