What are the schools like in Cincinnati, OH?

Cincinnati is served primarily by Cincinnati Public Schools. The district operates 39 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 12 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.9:1.

What is the median household income in Cincinnati?

The median household income in Cincinnati, OH is $49,191 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.9%.

What is the weather like in Cincinnati, OH?

Cincinnati has an average high temperature of 40.6°F in January and 86.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 43.4 inches and annual snowfall averages 16.0 inches.

Cincinnati, OH Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Cincinnati, OH affordable or expensive?

Cincinnati's cost of living index is 94, where 100 represents the national average. This means Cincinnati is 6% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $192,000 and the median rent is $893 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Cincinnati, OH?

Cincinnati has a violent crime rate of 845.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3829.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Cincinnati, OH a Good Place to Live?

Cincinnati is a large city of 308,870 in Ohio, with a median household income of $49,191 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.

Strengths: Cincinnati stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Cincinnati is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cincinnati city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 94.1

Cincinnati's overall cost of living index is 94.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cincinnati costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.

Metric	Cincinnati, OH	National Avg
Median Home Value	$192,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$893	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	39.3%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$49,191	$74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Cincinnati's violent crime rate is 845.6 per 100,000 residents — 123% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

845.6 /100k

Property Crime

3829.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Cincinnati is served primarily by Cincinnati Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Cincinnati, OH	National Avg
School District	Cincinnati Public Schools	—
Elementary Schools	39	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	12	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	15.9:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	40.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	89.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cincinnati sees average highs of 40.6°F in January and 86.6°F in July, with 43.4 inches of annual precipitation and 16.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Cincinnati, OH
Average High — January	40.6°F
Average High — July	86.6°F
Annual Precipitation	43.4"
Annual Snowfall	16.0"

Demographics

Metric	Cincinnati, OH	National Avg
Population	308,870	—
Median Age	32.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.9%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	23.4 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	50.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	39.6%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	3.4%	18.9%
Asian	2.6%	6.3%
Under 18	21.0%	22.2%
65 and over	12.9%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

St. Bernard, OH 2 mi Dayton, KY 3 mi Bellevue, KY 3 mi Norwood, OH 3 mi Elmwood Place, OH 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH is covered by 25 ZIP codes:

45230 45226 45211 45223 45208 45232 45224 45238 45237 45225 45220 45204 45205 45229 45214 45202 45227 45213 45209 45206 45216 45219 45203 45207 45267

Cincinnati vs Other Cities

Cincinnati, OH vs St. Bernard, OH Cincinnati, OH vs Dayton, KY Cincinnati, OH vs Bellevue, KY Cincinnati, OH vs Norwood, OH Cincinnati, OH vs Elmwood Place, OH

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cincinnati, OH affordable or expensive?

Cincinnati's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average. That makes Cincinnati roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $192,000 and median rent is $893/month.

What is the crime rate in Cincinnati, OH?

Cincinnati's violent crime rate is 845.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3829.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Cincinnati?

Public schools in Cincinnati are operated by Cincinnati Public Schools. The district has 39 elementary, 2 middle, and 12 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 40.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to live?

Cincinnati, OH has a population of 308,870, a median household income of $49,191, and an unemployment rate of 6.9%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati averages 40.6°F in January and 86.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.4 inches with about 16.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati, OH is covered by 25 ZIP codes: 45230, 45226, 45211, 45223, 45208, 45232, 45224, 45238, 45237, 45225, 45220, 45204, 45205, 45229, 45214, 45202, 45227, 45213, 45209, 45206, 45216, 45219, 45203, 45207, 45267.

What is the population of Cincinnati?

The population of Cincinnati, Ohio is 308,870 with a median age of 32.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Cincinnati?

Key numbers for living in Cincinnati: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $192,000, median household income $49,191, crime index 206 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cincinnati side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.