Cost of living in Ontario research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Ontario is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Ohio, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Ontario is 94, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Ontario is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Ontario ranks as the #158 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.
Ontario ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Ontario is $231,701.
The median income in Ontario is $65,905.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ontario has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Ohio, Ontario has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Ohio's index of 93.
The standard of living in Ontario ranks as #158 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Ontario ranks as the #131 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.
For more reading on life in Ontario, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Ontario. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Ontario is 103.
The Groceries index in Ontario is 98.
The Health index in Ontario is 86.
The Housing index in Ontario is 73.
The Transportation index in Ontario is 101.
The Utilities index in Ontario is 94.
| Living Expense | Ontario | Ohio | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 103 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 86 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 73 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 100 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Ohio, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Ontario is $231,701.
The Median Rent in Ontario is $1,059.
The Median Income in Ontario is $65,905.
The Home Value To Income in Ontario is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Ontario is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Ontario. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Mansfield, OH has a cost of living index of 81, 0.9x Ontario.
Ashland, OH has a cost of living index of 88, 0.9x Ontario.
Bucyrus, OH has a cost of living index of 87, 0.9x Ontario.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield, OH | 47,686 | 81 | 0.9x |
| Ashland, OH | 19,008 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Bucyrus, OH | 11,619 | 87 | 0.9x |
| Galion, OH | 10,358 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Shelby, OH | 8,706 | 85 | 0.9x |