County housing intelligence
Ohio Housing Market by County
Ohio is not one housing market. Across 88 counties, the median county home value is $173,050 and the median county rent is $833/mo. The useful question is not whether Ohio is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$173,050
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$833/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
88
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Ohio Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Delaware County, Warren County, Union County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Meigs County, Harrison County, Jefferson County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Delaware County, Warren County, Franklin County lead on rent, while Monroe County, Vinton County, Adams County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Paulding County, Defiance County, Henry County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Meigs County
$113,400
- 2. Harrison County
$118,000
- 3. Jefferson County
$120,600
- 4. Crawford County
$123,600
- 5. Paulding County
$126,800
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Paulding County
1.9x home-value-to-income
- 2. Defiance County
2.0x home-value-to-income
- 3. Henry County
2.1x home-value-to-income
- 4. Jefferson County
2.1x home-value-to-income
- 5. Seneca County
2.1x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Monroe County
$626/mo
- 2. Vinton County
$663/mo
- 3. Adams County
$700/mo
- 4. Meigs County
$704/mo
- 5. Morgan County
$713/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Wyandot County
18.0% rent burden
- 2. Henry County
21.0% rent burden
- 3. Putnam County
21.0% rent burden
- 4. Van Wert County
21.0% rent burden
- 5. Auglaize County
22.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Noble County
0.79% effective tax rate
- 2. Brown County
0.83% effective tax rate
- 3. Adams County
0.83% effective tax rate
- 4. Pike County
0.85% effective tax rate
- 5. Monroe County
0.87% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Noble County
$156/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Morgan County
$134/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Athens County
$113/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Gallia County
$110/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Washington County
$94/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Delaware County
$130,088 income, 3.2x value-to-income
- 2. Union County
$109,506 income, 2.8x value-to-income
- 3. Henry County
$79,267 income, 2.1x value-to-income
- 4. Defiance County
$73,615 income, 2.0x value-to-income
- 5. Putnam County
$82,785 income, 2.3x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Meigs County $113,400 home value, $46,701 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Harrison County $118,000 home value, 1.04% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Athens County $903/mo rent, 33.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Delaware County $419,500 home value, $130,088 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Ohio County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paulding County | $126,800 | $750/mo | $68,167 | 1.9x | 1.09% |
| Defiance County | $150,900 | $826/mo | $73,615 | 2.0x | 1.12% |
| Henry County | $166,000 | $866/mo | $79,267 | 2.1x | 1.18% |
| Jefferson County | $120,600 | $792/mo | $56,983 | 2.1x | 1.01% |
| Seneca County | $136,200 | $814/mo | $65,020 | 2.1x | 1.09% |
| Van Wert County | $137,300 | $792/mo | $65,344 | 2.1x | 0.97% |
| Crawford County | $123,600 | $761/mo | $55,477 | 2.2x | 1.22% |
| Harrison County | $118,000 | $753/mo | $53,851 | 2.2x | 1.04% |
| Monroe County | $132,000 | $626/mo | $58,962 | 2.2x | 0.87% |
| Wyandot County | $159,500 | $785/mo | $71,878 | 2.2x | 0.89% |
| Hardin County | $134,800 | $733/mo | $58,001 | 2.3x | 1.12% |
| Putnam County | $191,600 | $857/mo | $82,785 | 2.3x | 0.98% |
| Trumbull County | $128,100 | $783/mo | $55,088 | 2.3x | 1.41% |
| Williams County | $140,000 | $805/mo | $61,834 | 2.3x | 1.16% |
| Auglaize County | $182,000 | $853/mo | $76,454 | 2.4x | 0.96% |
| Belmont County | $143,000 | $769/mo | $58,411 | 2.4x | 0.99% |
| Columbiana County | $139,100 | $736/mo | $58,474 | 2.4x | 1.07% |
| Fulton County | $176,000 | $832/mo | $72,866 | 2.4x | 1.33% |
| Gallia County | $135,000 | $798/mo | $56,455 | 2.4x | 1.00% |
| Huron County | $158,900 | $824/mo | $65,972 | 2.4x | 1.05% |
| Jackson County | $140,400 | $773/mo | $58,409 | 2.4x | 0.95% |
| Meigs County | $113,400 | $704/mo | $46,701 | 2.4x | 0.98% |
| Morgan County | $134,200 | $713/mo | $55,971 | 2.4x | 0.91% |
| Preble County | $171,100 | $803/mo | $71,237 | 2.4x | 1.08% |
| Sandusky County | $152,500 | $786/mo | $62,500 | 2.4x | 1.06% |
| Vinton County | $131,700 | $663/mo | $53,813 | 2.4x | 1.09% |
| Champaign County | $186,300 | $884/mo | $74,239 | 2.5x | 1.04% |
| Highland County | $157,000 | $757/mo | $62,008 | 2.5x | 0.94% |
| Lawrence County | $135,600 | $830/mo | $54,842 | 2.5x | 0.88% |
| Mahoning County | $141,100 | $775/mo | $55,576 | 2.5x | 1.40% |
| Allen County | $158,400 | $898/mo | $62,001 | 2.6x | 1.13% |
| Brown County | $181,100 | $822/mo | $69,990 | 2.6x | 0.83% |
| Clark County | $155,900 | $840/mo | $60,846 | 2.6x | 1.25% |
| Coshocton County | $142,300 | $723/mo | $54,687 | 2.6x | 0.97% |
| Darke County | $169,100 | $747/mo | $64,654 | 2.6x | 0.93% |
| Lake County | $199,900 | $1,073/mo | $77,952 | 2.6x | 1.70% |
| Lucas County | $155,200 | $911/mo | $60,095 | 2.6x | 1.75% |
| Marion County | $146,200 | $850/mo | $57,306 | 2.6x | 0.98% |
| Montgomery County | $167,400 | $968/mo | $64,403 | 2.6x | 1.78% |
| Ross County | $158,500 | $858/mo | $59,819 | 2.6x | 0.99% |
| Shelby County | $190,300 | $904/mo | $72,822 | 2.6x | 1.01% |
| Ashland County | $175,900 | $841/mo | $64,991 | 2.7x | 1.02% |
| Ashtabula County | $149,600 | $816/mo | $55,507 | 2.7x | 1.26% |
| Carroll County | $174,500 | $780/mo | $64,675 | 2.7x | 0.97% |
| Erie County | $183,900 | $882/mo | $68,431 | 2.7x | 1.27% |
| Fayette County | $162,200 | $807/mo | $60,047 | 2.7x | 0.96% |
| Logan County | $186,200 | $832/mo | $69,183 | 2.7x | 1.05% |
| Mercer County | $208,600 | $812/mo | $78,036 | 2.7x | 1.08% |
| Noble County | $149,300 | $730/mo | $55,360 | 2.7x | 0.79% |
| Ottawa County | $200,700 | $909/mo | $75,728 | 2.7x | 1.09% |
| Richland County | $154,000 | $791/mo | $57,649 | 2.7x | 1.29% |
| Scioto County | $132,300 | $749/mo | $49,571 | 2.7x | 1.07% |
| Stark County | $177,700 | $877/mo | $65,740 | 2.7x | 1.32% |
| Tuscarawas County | $176,800 | $876/mo | $64,494 | 2.7x | 1.08% |
| Clinton County | $192,800 | $893/mo | $68,125 | 2.8x | 0.94% |
| Greene County | $238,000 | $1,089/mo | $85,218 | 2.8x | 1.69% |
| Guernsey County | $154,100 | $803/mo | $55,756 | 2.8x | 1.01% |
| Hancock County | $196,500 | $926/mo | $69,699 | 2.8x | 1.00% |
| Hocking County | $172,300 | $806/mo | $61,366 | 2.8x | 1.01% |
| Madison County | $231,400 | $944/mo | $83,229 | 2.8x | 1.05% |
| Miami County | $209,200 | $942/mo | $74,175 | 2.8x | 1.01% |
| Morrow County | $200,800 | $942/mo | $71,047 | 2.8x | 1.10% |
| Perry County | $178,300 | $727/mo | $64,737 | 2.8x | 0.93% |
| Summit County | $195,700 | $998/mo | $71,016 | 2.8x | 1.54% |
| Union County | $306,600 | $1,188/mo | $109,506 | 2.8x | 1.25% |
| Washington County | $174,100 | $828/mo | $61,355 | 2.8x | 0.96% |
| Cuyahoga County | $183,200 | $1,005/mo | $62,823 | 2.9x | 2.08% |
| Lorain County | $207,200 | $916/mo | $70,693 | 2.9x | 1.44% |
| Medina County | $268,000 | $1,090/mo | $92,660 | 2.9x | 1.29% |
| Muskingum County | $170,100 | $811/mo | $59,203 | 2.9x | 0.95% |
| Portage County | $210,500 | $1,036/mo | $72,822 | 2.9x | 1.30% |
| Wayne County | $204,600 | $849/mo | $71,769 | 2.9x | 1.20% |
| Wood County | $214,400 | $950/mo | $73,124 | 2.9x | 1.36% |
| Butler County | $243,000 | $1,098/mo | $81,194 | 3.0x | 1.24% |
| Clermont County | $245,600 | $1,040/mo | $83,178 | 3.0x | 1.28% |
| Geauga County | $305,100 | $1,018/mo | $100,783 | 3.0x | 1.49% |
| Knox County | $218,300 | $925/mo | $73,988 | 3.0x | 1.07% |
| Pike County | $148,500 | $833/mo | $49,552 | 3.0x | 0.85% |
| Warren County | $319,700 | $1,293/mo | $107,843 | 3.0x | 1.27% |
| Fairfield County | $272,200 | $1,114/mo | $87,069 | 3.1x | 1.15% |
| Licking County | $250,700 | $999/mo | $81,033 | 3.1x | 1.26% |
| Adams County | $157,500 | $700/mo | $49,521 | 3.2x | 0.83% |
| Athens County | $173,800 | $903/mo | $53,837 | 3.2x | 1.20% |
| Delaware County | $419,500 | $1,433/mo | $130,088 | 3.2x | 1.64% |
| Hamilton County | $225,700 | $1,005/mo | $70,816 | 3.2x | 1.53% |
| Pickaway County | $235,700 | $965/mo | $72,927 | 3.2x | 1.03% |
| Holmes County | $251,800 | $773/mo | $74,774 | 3.4x | 1.11% |
| Franklin County | $265,700 | $1,233/mo | $73,795 | 3.6x | 1.55% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Ohio by county?
What is the typical rent in Ohio by county?
Which Ohio counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.