Portsmouth, OH Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Portsmouth, OH Summary

Cost of living in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth is 80, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portsmouth is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #4 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.

  • Portsmouth ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portsmouth is $84,182.

  • The median income in Portsmouth is $35,319.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
80
Portsmouth's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portsmouth, OH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portsmouth has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Ohio, Portsmouth has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Ohio's index of 93.

The standard of living in Portsmouth ranks as #4 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Portsmouth ranks as the #285 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.

For more reading on life in Portsmouth, check out:

4 out of 289
In Ohio
112 out of 6,489
In America

Portsmouth Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portsmouth. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Portsmouth is 94.

  • The Groceries index in Portsmouth is 100.

  • The Health index in Portsmouth is 100.

  • The Housing index in Portsmouth is 48.

  • The Transportation index in Portsmouth is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Portsmouth is 98.

Living Expense Portsmouth Ohio National Average
Overall 80 93 100
Services 94 101 100
Groceries 100 103 100
Health 100 97 100
Housing 48 74 100
Transportation 94 102 100
Utilities 98 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Ohio, check out:
Portsmouth Cost of Living Vs. OH

Portsmouth, OH Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Portsmouth is $84,182.

  • The Median Rent in Portsmouth is $758.

  • The Median Income in Portsmouth is $35,319.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portsmouth is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portsmouth is 0.26x.

Statistic Portsmouth Ohio United States
Median Home Value $84,182 $240,287 $303,400
Median Rent $758 $988 $1,348
Median Income $35,319 $69,680 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.4x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.17x 0.21x
$84,182
Median Home Value
$758
Median Rent
$35,319
Median Income

Portsmouth, OH Costs By Category

Detailed Portsmouth Services Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Portsmouth Ohio
Shampoo $1.18 $1.28
Movie $12.41 $12.13
Bowling $13.67 $18
Haircut $18.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.22 $45.56

Detailed Portsmouth Groceries Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Portsmouth Ohio
Ground Beef $5.57 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $5.16 $4.93
Pizza $11.31 $12.09
Beer $10.19 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.56 $3.7

Detailed Portsmouth Health Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Portsmouth Ohio
Optometrist $172.33 $125.68
Doctor $158.83 $135.78
Dentist $107.83 $113.29

Detailed Portsmouth Transportation Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Portsmouth Ohio
Gasoline $3.36 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.0 $59.92

Detailed Portsmouth Utilities Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Portsmouth Ohio
All Electricity $189.47 $193.99
Phone $186.09 $192.25

Portsmouth SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
3
Affordability
7
Diversity
6
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
4
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portsmouth

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portsmouth. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Centerville, OH has a cost of living index of 101, 1.3x Portsmouth.

  • Ashland, KY has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Portsmouth.

  • Ironton, OH has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Portsmouth.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portsmouth
Centerville, OH 24,815 101 1.3x
Ashland, KY 21,405 83 1.0x
Ironton, OH 10,585 83 1.0x
Maysville, KY 8,778 92 1.1x
Flatwoods, KY 7,281 87 1.1x
Morehead, KY 6,924 95 1.2x
Wheelersburg, OH 6,414 93 1.2x

Articles About Ohio

Enjoy The Snack?