The state of Ohio is known by many names like “Buckeye State”. Fun fact – Ohio is widely considered as the birthplace of aviation. At an elevation of 260 meters above sea level, this oddly heart shaped state is the tenth most densely populated state in the U.S. Bordered by Lake Erie to the north, Ohio is home to 8 U.S presidents and maybe even the hamburger.
With the promise of winters that may make you lose a toe or two, this midwest state has a lot to offer. In this article we hope to provide you with all that you would want to know, when considering moving to Ohio.
What Should I Know Before Moving To Ohio?
Like we said, it’s called the Buckeye state and got this name due to the Buckeye trees that used to line the streets. The state of Ohio is ranked 5th in the country for craft beer production. So if that’s something you love, then Columbus in Ohio may be the place for you. Not to mention that state is notorious for its fast food, and is literally referred to as burger heaven. Speaking of food, chilli – the people really love chilli here.
Something else the people of Ohio really love are roller coasters. It is home to the capital of rollercoasters, Cedar Point, an amusement park that somehow has an alluring aura that no resident of the state can resist on a summer day. The state also has islands that are a treasure trove of scenic beauty which are the perfect getaway for a beautiful spring day.
Ohio is also home to some of the best art museums in the country like Toledo Museum of Art. Basically, the state loves art and welcomes people not only to stay, but also explore their artistic side. Plus if you have ever been curious about the Amish lifestyle, look no further as the state is home to the largest Amish population in the world.
Crime Rate In Ohio
Ohio has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the East North Central region at 2.8 crimes per 1,000 people. This means that you have a 1 in 341 chance to be a victim of violent crime, which is lower than the national average.
However, Ohio does have the highest property crime rate in the region at 20.6 incidents per 1000 people, meaning you have a 1 in 49 chances of being a victim of property crime. This is still a decrease from the previous year which had a property crime rate of 21.8 incidents per 1000 people.
Ohio Weather
Much of the state enjoys a continental climate with a humid subtropical climate in the southmost regions. In general, the northern regions of the state experience a cooler climate relative to the south.
Spring
Spring begins midway through the month of March. If you’re someone who loves those heavenly showers, you’ll love the spring in Ohio since it receives rain throughout the season. The average temperatures vary from 45°F to 78°F throughout the season. Though the season is wet, the climate is relatively pleasant and warm in the south and colder up north with some regions receiving slight snow in April. The nights are much cooler with temperatures being as low as 27°F in March to 54°F in May
By the end of May, the state is practically snow and ice free and receives heavy rainfall. These lead to the rivers and streams filling up. As the season comes to an end the days get warmer too.
Summer
June through to August, the state is blessed with the warmth of summer. The temperatures can vary from 78°F at the beginning to 90°F during the peak in July. As always, the northern regions enjoy more pleasant temperatures. Nights are also comfortable during this season with temperatures ranging from 57°F to 68°F.
Summer is the excuse everyone is waiting for, to bike, hike, boat and just lay in the pool absorbing that vitamin-D. The landscape comes alive with greenery and the orchards ripe with fruits. The heat in the summer doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a dry season. Thunderstorms are frequent during these months and bring with it a large amount of rain.
Autumn
The heat dissipates with the arrival of the gorgeous season of autumn. Temperatures vary from 55°F to 80°F at the start of September and a cooler 49°F to 60°F in the later month of November. Nights are also cooler with temperatures starting around 79°F in the early days and dropping to 37°F in the later months.
Winter
December brings in the winter season, with the weather being the coldest during the month of January. Temperatures can vary from 17°F to 49°F depending on the month and sometimes even dropping as low as 0°F in january. With the warmer wind of the south flowing over the snow covered ground, you can find the land covered in advection fog. A dense fog can also be seen covering Lake Erie in the winter.
Precipitation is mostly snow and ice though at times you can find a little rain. You will find yourself dawning layers of clothing and trudging through shin-high snow. Mornings may find you doing a routine workout of scraping ice off the windshield. On your free days, take to the lakes for some ice fishing and ice skating.
Is It Expensive To Live In Ohio?
As per Data USA, the median household income in the state of Ohio is $56,111. This is lower than the national household income which is estimated at around $68,703.
But what about taxes? Well according to taxfoundation.org, Ohio has a sales tax rate of 5.75% and an average local sales tax rate of 1.42%. This will bring the combined sales tax rate to 7.17%. The state also has a property tax rate of 1.6%.
Cost Of Living In Ohio
Salary.com estimates that the cost of living in Ohio is below the national average by 12% making Ohio affordable for most people and families that live there
To give you a better understanding, we’re sharing below the cost of living index of Ohio. This index is compared to the national average which is always set at 100. A number less than 100 would mean it is less than the national average. Overall, Ohio has a cost of living index of 90.8. Here’s the breakdown:
- Grocery: 98.1
- Housing: 78
- Utility: 90.6
- Transportation: 102.2
Healthcare also contributes to the cost of living in a state. According to Value Penguin, the average health insurance for a 40 year old individual would be around $435 per month. This is a 5% decrease from the cost of health insurance the previous year.
But what if you are moving as a family? Well, for 2 adults and a child, the health insurance in the state would roughly be $1,225 a month and $1,507 if it were two children. If you are a single parent moving with your kid, then you would have to pay roughly $753 a month.
Buying A House
If you remember, we saw that in the cost of living index breakdown, housing in Ohio was shown to be much lower than the national average. According to Zillow, the median house value of $175,878 in Ohio, is more affordable than many other states in the country. This is a price increase of 12.6% from the previous year. Ohio is a state where the housing market varies drastically from region to region
Renting A House
But if you are not looking to own a house and would prefer to rent, then HomeSnacks estimates that the average rent in the state is approximately $1,095 for an average apartment of size of 1,226 sq ft. This is about 33.6% lower than the national average rent of $1,650.
Now obviously the rent you pay will vary depending on the size of your home. A studio and a one bedroom apartment will cost you about the same rent of $800 per month. While monthly rent for a two bedroom and a three bedroom apartment will make your wallet lighter by $975 and $1,100 respectively.
Utility Bills
The utility bill is something to be considered when trying to calculate the cost of living. People in Ohio pay on average $108.15 for electricity, $70.93 for water and $67.75 for gas. This with other amenities would bring your average monthly utility bill to $353.41. This is lower than the estimated national average utility bill of $370.16.
Employment Opportunities In Ohio
Ohio is considered to be a business friendly state with an unemployment rate of 4.7% according to the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics. This is a dip from the 5.6% percent in the previous year.
By all accounts, you won’t have a hard time finding a job. Some of the top industries in the state are in the healthcare and medical sector, banking and financial sector, the insurance industry, the retail industry and the manufacturing industry. If you prepare well and are open to jobs in any field, then you really won’t have a difficult time findinding a job.
The minimum wage in the state is $8.80 an hour and if you do work over time, there is a chance you get paid $13.50 an hour for every hour you worked past 40 hours a week. It goes without saying, it’s best to secure a job before you make the move to the state.
Education
Although the state is home to one of the largest universities in the country and the best university in the state, Ohio State University, the state is not ranked very high in education. The state is ranked around 30th in education in the country and has a drop out rate of 1.7%. That being said, some of the larger cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo are home to the better schools in the city.
The average tuition for private schools in the state is $6,998 a year. Private elementary school tuition fee is approximately $5,345 per year while the average tuition fee for private highschools is $9,621 per year. For colleges, an in-state student would pay on average $7,709 a year as tuition, while out-state students will pay roughly $17,338 a year.
Getting Around Ohio
If you don’t own a car and can not get one, then getting around the state can be a bit troublesome as their public transit system has a lot to desire.
Bus Travel
The state of Ohio has pretty good bus service. Some cities of the state like Columbus, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) runs free bus service to riders. Apart from COTA, there are about 8 bus companies that run a service in or through Ohio. Some of these buses run interstate routes as well, connecting the cities of Ohio to other states.
Amtrak Thruway, El Expreso Bus, Wanda Coach and Jefferson Lines run interstate routes with some stops through the city depending on the route. Companies like Barons Bus Lines, Miller Transportation, Tornado Bus and Greyhound not only run interstate routes, but they also run intercity routes within the state. Out of these, Baron Bus Lines run the most routes within the state, connecting 16 cities.
The average cost of a bus ticket on the major routes is around $59. The cheapest bus ticket you could get would be for around $10 and the most expensive is approximately $250.
Rail Travel
Not all the cities in the state of Ohio have passenger rail service. Of all the cities in Ohio, Greater Cleveland is the city with a true mass rail transit system. Amtrak does run 2 routes through the state passing through a total of six stations. These stations are Alliance, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Elyria, Sandusky, Toledo.
The two Amtrak routes we mentioned are the Capitol Limited route and the Cardinal route. These trains only travel east to west and there are no stations in the central region of the state. The Cardinal route has only one stop in Ohio in Cincinnati.
On these services you can also travel to other major cities in the country like New York and Chicago. Do note that the average ticket price is approximately $110 on all major routes, with the most expensive ticket coming to around $253 and the cheapest being available for $13.
Air Travel
Ohio does have quite a few airports but only 9 of them are commercial or passenger airports. As their name suggests, 4 of these 9 airports are international airports. These are Cleveland-Hopkins International, John Glenn Columbus International, James M Cox Dayton International and Rickenbacker International.
The remaining five airports of Akron-Canton Regional, Toledo Express, Youngstown-Warren Regional, Cincinnati Municipal Airport, Lunken Field and Burke Lakefront are the regional or domestic airports in the state.
Located in Cleveland, the Cleveland-Hopkins International airport is the largest and busiest airport in the state while the Burke Lakefront airport which is also located in Cleveland is the smallest airport in the state.
Taxi And Cab Travel
The major cities in the state do have taxi and cab service, though most of them operate on a call-in service. So it’s good to have a few numbers handy incase you need to hail a cab. Just like the cabs, Uber and Lyft are only available in the major cities of the state, though they are looking to expand into more cities.
Road Travel
Ohio is a state with the fifth-largest Interstate Highway System in the country. This is not surprising as being a state in the midwest region, a large number of routes and interstate highways pass through Ohio. There are a total of 21 major U.S highways in the state, made up of primary and auxiliary routes. Apart from this, Ohio weaves a web of smaller routes and highways through the state.
Ohio drivers are not the best or the worst in the country. The opinion varies from whom you ask and from survey to survey, so it’s safe to say they got average drivers. The traffic in the city is not the best either, but with the poor public transit system, and the vast number of roads and routes, it’s safe to say that your best bet to get around the state is in a car.
Also See: Ohio DMV Change of Address
Best Cities To Live In Ohio
We have listed below, in no particular order, what we believe to be the three best cities and places to live in the state.
Rocky River
This is a unique city in and of itself. Not usually found on many lists, but well deserves your attention, especially if you are looking to move to Ohio with your family.
Located a short 20 minute from the city of Cleveland, Rocky river is situated on the shores of Lake Erie and the banks of the Rocky River. This location does give rise to opportunities for many outdoor family recreational activities. Combine that with good public schools, a safe and family friendly neighbourhood and an urban suburban mix to life, Rocky River is one of the best places to settle down with your family.
Most of the families here own their own homes, and though the prices are steep, owning a home here would never be a mistake.
- Population: 20,000
- Median home value: $312,222
- Average market rent: $963
Akron
The birthplace of the king of the NBA himself, Lebron James. Though the nation and the world argue over the birthplace of the hamburger, Akron is a strong contender to the title. This should also hint at the fact that the city is also hamburger heaven.
Being the 5th largest city in Ohio, Akron has the word ability to make you feel like you live in a small town. It has fairly decent public transportation, is not overpopulated and has great music. Its location makes it convenient to travel to other major cities which are only a couple hours away.
The beautiful location has houses available at an affordable price, whether you look to move with your family or just by yourself. That along with the 5th largest school district in the state with some of the highest graduation rates, great recreational opportunities, sport fanaticism and a growing art scene make Akron an ideal location for young people looking to move.
- Population: 564,000
- Median home value: $89,086
- Average market rent: $600
Dublin
Dublin Ohio, not Dublin ireland. But nonetheless, like its namesake, the city does embrace the Irish heritage, hosting the annual music and heritage festival, the Dublin Irish Festival. The city always grabs one of the top spots in a list of some of the best places to live in the U.S. Dublin, Ohio, is family and business friendly with a massive variety of parks, restaurants, shops and anything else you can think of to spend some time doing on the weekend.
Most of the community own their homes in the city. A bare 20 minute drive away from Columbus, the city’s suburban lifestyle also leads to some really good schools and a community that is as close as peas in a pod. Oh, and did we mention that Dublin is really big on golf too?
- Population: 49,923
- Median home value: $454,147
- Average market rent: $1,266
Is Ohio A Good Place To Live?
With Ohio, it really is not so simple. The state does have a good economy with many employment opportunities, though it is not the best place to look at if you work in tech or software. If you are looking to start a new business, the state welcomes and encourages it.
Ohio may be more appealing to families as the communities are great and inclusive, but the overall education in the state is not the best that the country has to offer. If you look to move to some of the bigger cities and don’t own a vehicle, it may not be a problem, but you may require one in the smaller cities and towns.
That being said, if you get the opportunity to move, with a good job in a city that ticks most of your boxes, Ohio won’t be a bad state to settle down and plant some roots. The state promises to make life interesting and fulfilling with its festivals and activities, sports fanaticism, gorgeous scenery and the wholesome lifestyle. Oh, and prepare for the harsh and wet weather and climate, especially in the winter.
Also See: 5 Best Moving Companies In Columbus, Ohio
Frequently Asked Questions about Moving to Ohio
What are the benefits of living in Ohio?
Ohio is an affordable state to live in, and housing, healthcare, and food are significantly less expensive than many other states. While more people are still migrating out of Ohio than into the state, Ohio provides plenty of quality-of-life amenities to keep its residents satisfied. The cost of living is comparatively low for housing and basic needs, making it possible to afford life’s necessities on a lower salary even if you’re not working in one of Ohio’s 10 most profitable industries.
Is living in Ohio cheap?
Ohio is home to some of the most affordable cities in America. From Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, you can find a nice apartment for less than $1k without much problem!
Is it cheaper to live in Ohio or Florida?
The cost of living in Ohio is six percent cheaper than in the Sunshine State.
What city in Ohio are people moving to?
When it comes to Ohio, the largest city is Cincinnati, and this means plenty of people are moving there and relocating from other smaller towns or counties within the state.
What is the nicest city in Ohio?
The best place to live in Ohio is Cincinnati, according to U.S News and World Report’s ranking of cities by desirability; value; job market quality life net migration citations.
What is the wealthiest city in Ohio?
The Village of Indian Hill is the wealthiest city in Ohio, with an average household income of over 200 thousand dollars.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Ohio?
Ohio’s capital is one of the cities that costs less to live in. You can live comfortably if you have an income of $70,000 or less.
What is great about Ohio?
Ohio is America’s heartland. There’s plenty of things to do in Ohio, from catching live music at the Beachland Ballroom or listening to fiddling at Cleveland Public Theatre to taking walking tours through industrial ruins like Squire Tobacco to dancing the night away with friends at a rave in Shaker Square. You could spend days exploring this great state without even seeing all it has to offer.
Which area of Ohio is the most ethnically diverse?
The most diverse area of Ohio in Cuyahoga County, which was home to more than half (54%) ethnic minorities in 2020. Franklin County came in second with a share at 39%.
What city in Ohio has the best economy?
Cincinnati is home to Ohio’s largest economy, according to a new report.
See Also: Affordable Movers in the US
