Reading, OH Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Reading. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Reading compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Reading, Ohio

Cost of living in Reading 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 Reading 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:

89 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#108 Cheapest in Ohio (of 284)
#897 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$231,958 Median home value
$940 Median rent
$61,866 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Reading, OH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Reading has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Ohio, Reading has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Ohio's index of 90.

The standard of living in Reading ranks as #108 most affordable out of the 284 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Reading ranks as the #176 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.

For more reading on life in Reading, check out:

Reading Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio

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

  • The Services index in Reading is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Reading is 100.

  • The Health index in Reading is 74.

  • The Housing index in Reading is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Reading is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Reading is 98.

Living Expense Reading Ohio National Average
Overall 89 90 100
Services 100 97 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 74 75 100
Housing 96 97 100
Transportation 97 95 100
Utilities 98 97 100

Reading Cost Of Living Compared To Ohio Averages

Services
Reading 100
Ohio avg 97
Groceries
Reading 100
Ohio avg 97
Health
Reading 74
Ohio avg 75
Housing
Reading 96
Ohio avg 97
Transportation
Reading 97
Ohio avg 95
Utilities
Reading 98
Ohio avg 97

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Ohio, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Reading, OH Housing Cost Breakdown

$231,958Median Home Value
$940Median Rent
$61,866Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Reading is $231,958.

  • The Median Rent in Reading is $940.

  • The Median Income in Reading is $61,866.

  • The Home Value To Income in Reading is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Reading is 0.18x.

Statistic Reading Ohio United States
Median Home Value $231,958 $242,141 $332,700
Median Rent $940 $1,034 $1,413
Median Income $61,866 $71,389 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x

Reading, OH Costs By Category

Detailed Reading Services costs vs. Ohio
Item Reading Ohio
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $14.35 $12.13
Bowling $17.56 $18
Haircut $25.13 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.93 $45.56
Detailed Reading Groceries costs vs. Ohio
Item Reading Ohio
Ground Beef $5.91 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.57
Milk $4.8 $4.67
Potatoes $5.05 $4.93
Pizza $11.92 $12.09
Beer $10.63 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.6 $3.7
Detailed Reading Health costs vs. Ohio
Item Reading Ohio
Optometrist $105.42 $125.68
Doctor $159.4 $135.78
Dentist $106.67 $113.29
Detailed Reading Transportation costs vs. Ohio
Item Reading Ohio
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.09 $59.92
Detailed Reading Utilities costs vs. Ohio
Item Reading Ohio
All Electricity $197.1 $193.99
Phone $186.48 $192.25

Reading SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 7/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 7/10
Commute 9/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Reading

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

  • Mason, OH has a cost of living index of 117, 1.3x Reading.

  • Monfort Heights, OH has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Reading.

  • Mack, OH has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Reading.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Reading
Mason, OH 35,509 117 1.3x
Monfort Heights, OH 12,441 94 1.1x
Mack, OH 11,516 104 1.2x
Montgomery, OH 10,855 122 1.4x
Forestville, OH 10,831 106 1.2x
Madeira, OH 9,484 118 1.3x
Wyoming, OH 8,723 116 1.3x
Dry Run, OH 7,687 116 1.3x
Covedale, OH 6,500 96 1.1x
Deer Park, OH 5,384 92 1.0x