The 44601 zip code in Alliance tops our ranking of the most affordable places to live in Ohio.
We looked at 376 zip codes in the state, evaluating home values, rental costs, energy rates, property taxes, and five other affordability indicators. We used the data we gathered to calculate our proprietary Affordability Score for each zip code.
Top 10 most affordable places to live in Ohio
| Rank | City | Affordability Score | Median home value | Rental costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alliance 🥇 | 100 | $150,240 | $975 |
| 2 | Toledo🥈 | 99.4 | $137,186 | $900 |
| 3 | Lakemore 🥉 | 99.0 | $163,535 | $931 |
| 4 | Ironton | 97.9 | $109,565 | $1,470 |
| 5 | Akron | 97.9 | $115,036 | $994 |
| 6 | East Liverpool | 97.3 | $100,693 | $1,470 |
| 7 | Cleveland | 96.6 | $57,711 | $1,470 |
| 8 | Wickliffe | 96.0 | $188,084 | $1,049 |
| 9 | Willard | 95.3 | $151,809 | $1,470 |
| 10 | Portsmouth | 95.3 | $89,810 | $1,470 |
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1. Alliance
Here's why the 44601 zip code in Alliance is Ohio's most affordable place to live.
🔎 Key data about Alliance
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 100 | No. 1 | N/A |
| Median home value | $150,240[1] | No. 67 | -$97,382.56 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.5 | No. 45 | -0.9 |
| Home value five-year change | 45.9%[2] | No. 135 | -3.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.9%[3] | No. 52 | -0.4% |
| Rental costs | $975[4] | No. 17 | -$496 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.65% | No. 35 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $59,177[5] | No. 247 | -$12,629 |
| Property taxes | $1,425[6] | No. 48 | -$1,724 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[7] | No. 309 | $0.01 |
Alliance's 44601 zip code is the cheapest place to live in Ohio, leading the 376 markets we evaluated.
The median home value is $150,240, making it the 67th-cheapest housing market in the state. Forecasts project a -0.9% change in home values in the next year. Rent in the zip code averages $975 per month, which is the 35th cheapest amount in Ohio.
The median property tax for homeowners in Alliance is $1,425 per household, the No. 48 ranked market in Ohio.
Residents pay $0.11 per kWh of electricity, which ranks No. 309 among Ohio markets.
2. Toledo
The 43611 zip code is the 2nd-cheapest place to live in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Toledo
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 99.4 | No. 2 | N/A |
| Median home value | $137,186[8] | No. 54 | -$110,437.12 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.5 | No. 39 | -0.9 |
| Home value five-year change | 54.7%[9] | No. 261 | 5.5% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.5%[10] | No. 18 | -1.0% |
| Rental costs | $900[11] | No. 6 | -$570 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.65% | No. 36 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $54,644[12] | No. 271 | -$17,162 |
| Property taxes | $1,899[13] | No. 114 | -$1,250 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[14] | No. 288 | $0.00 |
Toledo's 43611 zip code has a median home value of $137,186, which is the 18th-cheapest housing market in Ohio. You can rent for an average of $900 per month. That's the 6th-cheapest price in the state.
The average household income in the zip code is $54,644, which ranks 271st-highest in the state.
Homeowners in Toledo pay a median property tax of $1,899 per year, making it the 114th-most affordable market in Ohio.
Toledo ranks No. 288 among Ohio energy markets. You'll pay $0.10 per kWh of electricity.
3. Lakemore
The 3rd-cheapest place to live in Ohio is Lakemore's 44312 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Lakemore
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 99.0 | No. 3 | N/A |
| Median home value | $163,535[15] | No. 89 | -$84,087.71 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.6 | No. 53 | -0.8 |
| Home value five-year change | 45.5%[16] | No. 123 | -3.7% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.8%[17] | No. 75 | -0.3% |
| Rental costs | $931[18] | No. 10 | -$539 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.48% | No. 16 | -0.6% |
| Median household income | $62,815[19] | No. 216 | -$8,991 |
| Property taxes | $2,239[20] | No. 146 | -$910 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[21] | No. 106 | $0.00 |
The No. 89 cheapest housing in Ohio is Lakemore's 44312 zip code, with a median home value of $163,535. Rents in the market average $931 per month, making it the 10th-most affordable rental market in the state.
The median property tax for households in Lakemore is $2,239, which makes it the 146th-cheapest place in Ohio. Lakemore ranks No. 106 among Ohio markets by energy costs. Residents pay $0.10 per kWh of electricity.
4. Ironton
The 45638 zip code in Ironton comes in at No. 4 on our list of the cheapest places to live in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Ironton
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 97.9 | No. 4 | N/A |
| Median home value | $109,565[22] | No. 31 | -$138,057.64 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.3 | No. 24 | -1.2 |
| Home value five-year change | 26.9%[23] | No. 7 | -22.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -3.2%[24] | No. 1 | -2.7% |
| Rental costs | $1,470[25] | No. 115 | $0 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.05% | No. 100 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $47,762[26] | No. 317 | -$24,044 |
| Property taxes | $1,077[27] | No. 10 | -$2,072 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[28] | No. 338 | $0.02 |
The No. 31 cheapest housing market in Ohio is Ironton's 45638 zip code, where the median home value is $109,565. Renters here pay an average of $1,470 per month.
When it comes to energy costs, Ironton ranks 338th among Ohio markets. Residents pay $0.12 per kWh of electricity.
The median property tax for households in the zip code is $1,077, which makes it the 10th-cheapest market in Ohio.
5. Akron
The 44305 zip code in Akron ranks No. 5 among Ohio's most affordable places to live.
🔎 Key data about Akron
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 97.9 | No. 5 | N/A |
| Median home value | $115,036[29] | No. 35 | -$132,586.99 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.2 | No. 17 | -1.2 |
| Home value five-year change | 62.1%[30] | No. 320 | 12.9% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.0%[31] | No. 44 | -0.5% |
| Rental costs | $994[32] | No. 20 | -$476 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.90% | No. 76 | -0.1% |
| Median household income | $52,286[33] | No. 290 | -$19,520 |
| Property taxes | $1,509[34] | No. 64 | -$1,640 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[35] | No. 106 | $0.00 |
Akron's 44305 zip code has a median home value of $115,036, the 35th-cheapest market in the state. Forecasts project a -1.0% change in home values in the next year.
The median property tax per household in Akron is $1,509. It's the 64th-cheapest market by tax rate in Ohio.
6. East Liverpool
The No. 6 most affordable place to live in Ohio is the 43920 zip code.
🔎 Key data about East Liverpool
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 97.3 | No. 6 | N/A |
| Median home value | $100,693[36] | No. 27 | -$146,929.76 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.1 | No. 14 | -1.3 |
| Home value five-year change | 27.1%[37] | No. 9 | -22.0% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.3%[38] | No. 32 | -0.8% |
| Rental costs | $1,470[39] | No. 115 | $0 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.05% | No. 100 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $47,277[40] | No. 320 | -$24,529 |
| Property taxes | $1,304[41] | No. 32 | -$1,845 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[42] | No. 309 | $0.01 |
The back half of our top 10 kicks off with East Liverpool's 43920 zip code, which has the 27th-cheapest home values in Ohio. The median home value is $100,693. Rents average $1,470 per month, making it the 115th-most affordable rental market in the state.
Residents pay $0.11 per kWh of electricity. It's the 309th-cheapest energy market.
7. Cleveland
Cleveland's 44104 zip code is the 7th-cheapest place to live in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Cleveland
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 96.6 | No. 7 | N/A |
| Median home value | $57,711[43] | No. 3 | -$189,911.51 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.7 | No. 63 | -0.7 |
| Home value five-year change | 29.4%[44] | No. 13 | -19.8% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.8%[45] | No. 75 | -0.3% |
| Rental costs | $1,470[46] | No. 115 | $0 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.05% | No. 100 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $21,333[47] | No. 376 | -$50,473 |
| Property taxes | $753[48] | No. 1 | -$2,396 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[49] | No. 174 | $0.00 |
You'll find the 3rd-cheapest home values in Ohio in Cleveland's 44104 zip code. The median value: $57,711. Renters in Cleveland pay an average of $1,470 per month.
Homeowners in Cleveland pay a median property tax of $753 per year, which is Ohio's 1st-most affordable market.
The average household income is $21,333, which ranks 376th-highest in the state.
8. Wickliffe
The 8th-cheapest place to live in Ohio is Wickliffe's 44092 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Wickliffe
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 96.0 | No. 8 | N/A |
| Median home value | $188,084[50] | No. 131 | -$59,538.52 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.7 | No. 66 | -0.7 |
| Home value five-year change | 41.9%[51] | No. 68 | -7.2% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.7%[52] | No. 137 | -0.2% |
| Rental costs | $1,049[53] | No. 32 | -$421 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.51% | No. 21 | -0.5% |
| Median household income | $69,240[54] | No. 172 | -$2,566 |
| Property taxes | $3,100[55] | No. 239 | -$49 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[56] | No. 244 | $0.00 |
The 131st-cheapest housing market in Ohio is Wickliffe's 44092 zip code, with a median home value of $188,084. Renters pay an average of $1,049 per month, the No. 32 rental market in the state.
The median property tax for households in Wickliffe is $3,100, which makes it the 239th-cheapest place in Ohio. The average household income of $69,240 ranks 172nd.
9. Willard
Willard's 44890 zip code sneaks into the top ten of Ohio's most affordable places to live.
🔎 Key data about Willard
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 95.3 | No. 9 | N/A |
| Median home value | $151,809[57] | No. 71 | -$95,814.05 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.5 | No. 37 | -1.0 |
| Home value five-year change | 44.0%[58] | No. 99 | -5.2% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.6%[59] | No. 14 | -1.1% |
| Rental costs | $1,470[60] | No. 115 | $0 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.05% | No. 100 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $61,318[61] | No. 229 | -$10,488 |
| Property taxes | $1,240[62] | No. 21 | -$1,909 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[63] | No. 309 | $0.01 |
The 71st-cheapest housing market in Ohio is Willard's 44890 zip code, where the median home value is $151,809. Renters pay an average of $1,470 per month. It's the state's 115th-cheapest rental market.
The median property tax for households within the zip code is $1,240, which makes it the 21st-cheapest property tax rate in Ohio.
10. Portsmouth
The final spot on our list of the most affordable places to live in Ohio goes to the 45662 zip code in Portsmouth.
🔎 Key data about Portsmouth
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 376 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 95.3 | No. 10 | N/A |
| Median home value | $89,810[64] | No. 21 | -$157,812.39 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.4 | No. 30 | -1.1 |
| Home value five-year change | 39.5%[65] | No. 36 | -9.6% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.7%[66] | No. 11 | -1.2% |
| Rental costs | $1,470[67] | No. 115 | $0 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 2.05% | No. 100 | 0.0% |
| Median household income | $37,980[68] | No. 354 | -$33,826 |
| Property taxes | $1,147[69] | No. 12 | -$2,002 |
| Energy costs | $0.12 kWh[70] | No. 338 | $0.02 |
The 21st-most affordable market in Ohio is Portsmouth's 45662 zip code. The median home value is $89,810. Rent in the market costs $1,470 per month on average, making it the 115th-most affordable rental market in Ohio.
The median property tax for households in Portsmouth is $1,147, which is the 12th-cheapest property tax rate in the state.
Portsmouth ranks No. 338 among Ohio markets by energy costs, with households paying $0.12 per kWh of electricity.
How we ranked the most affordable places in Ohio
We evaluated 376 zip codes in Ohio with a population over 10,000 on nine metrics. We then assigned each market an Affordability Score based on its weighted and combined rankings.
Often the zip code we identify will represent an entire city or portion of a city.
Occasionally the zip code we identify will encompass an area that includes one or more small towns. In these cases, the data we’ve gathered applies to the entire zip code, not just the single town we’re using to help identify the zip code's location.
If you’re looking to move to one of these affordable places, we recommend doing additional research to make sure the costs in the area — and the quality of life it offers — meet your specific needs.
Methodology: What is an Affordability Score?
Our proprietary Affordability Score is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the affordability of a particular zip code. It takes into account these key data points for each zip code.
- Median home value: The median home value for each zip code comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. The lower the median home value relative to the median value in Ohio, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 23.8% to median home value.
- Home affordability ratio. The home affordability ratio is the typical median home value divided by the median household income in the zip code, which reveals the number of years of household income needed to afford a home in that zip code. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 23.8% to the home affordability ratio.
- Home value five-year change: The home value five-year change is the amount that the median home value in the zip code has risen or fallen during the last five years. Our data comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. We assign a weight of 4.8% to the home value five-year change.
- Home value one-year forecast: The home value one-year forecast comes from Zillow Forecast data. It projects how much home values in the zip code are forecasted to change in the next year. We assign a weight of 4.8% to the home value one-year forecast.
- Rental costs. The rental costs are the observed rents in the zip code, sourced from the Zillow Observed Rent Index. The index includes "listed rents that fall into the 40th to 60th percentile range for all homes and apartments in a given region." We assign a weight of 11.9% to rental costs.
- Median household income: The inflation-adjusted median household income figures for the zip code comes from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 4.8% to median household income.
- Rent affordability ratio. The rent affordability ratio is the ratio of rental costs divided by median household income, which provides the percentage of household income needed to pay a typical month’s rent in the zip code. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 11.9% to the rent affordability ratio.
- Property taxes: The property tax figures are the median real estate taxes paid in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The lower the property tax rate relative to the Ohio average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 7.1% to property taxes.
- Energy costs: The energy costs are the costs of a kilowatt hour (kWh) of residential electricity in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Department of Energy. The lower the cost of electricity relative to the Ohio average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 7.1% to energy costs.
