Median rent is 25% lower in Cincinnati ($1,001/mo vs $1,331/mo). Buying is cheaper in Baltimore, where the median home runs $229,600 versus $230,900. Households earn more in Baltimore ($62,177 vs $52,909 a year).
City A
Baltimore, MD
City B
Cincinnati, OH
How much would you need to earn in Cincinnati, OH to maintain your standard of living from Baltimore, MD?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Baltimore
Maryland
Cincinnati
Ohio
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Cincinnati — median rent of $1,001/mo versus $1,331/mo in Baltimore, a 25% difference. Median home values are within 1% of each other: $229,600 in Baltimore and $230,900 in Cincinnati.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Baltimore
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Cincinnati
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Baltimore has cleaner air on average: 25.0 AQI (Good) compared to 54.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Baltimore if you prioritize higher median household income ($62,177/yr).
Pick Cincinnati if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,001/mo median).
Pick Baltimore if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 25.0).
Is Baltimore cheaper than Cincinnati?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Baltimore vs Cincinnati?
Median rent is $1,331/mo in Baltimore, MD and $1,001/mo in Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati, OH has the lower rent by about 25%.
Which has higher salaries — Baltimore or Cincinnati?
Median household income is $62,177 in Baltimore, MD and $52,909 in Cincinnati, OH. Baltimore, MD has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Baltimore, MD has better air quality on average: 25.0 AQI versus 54.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Baltimore or Cincinnati?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Cincinnati to match my Baltimore income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
