Cuyahoga County vs Hamilton County
Cuyahoga County, Ohio versus Hamilton County, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Cuyahoga County and Hamilton County score about the same overall (42 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cuyahoga County | Hamilton County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $60k | $68k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $42k |
| Home Value | $169k | $205k |
| Monthly Rent | $952 | $961 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.18% | 1.61% |
| Income Tax | 5.08% | 4.54% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.60% | 11.76% |
| Unemployment | 7.2% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3 in | 45.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 73.1 in | 15.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 208 days | 209 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 106 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.0 | 96.3 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.3 | 69.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2367/100k | 1285/100k |
| Property Crime | 2037/100k | 2408/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,256,620 | 827,671 |
| Median Age | 40.4 | 36.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+34 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 57.6% | 63.9% |
| Black (%) | 28.7% | 25.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.5% | 3.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 11.6/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.7% | 89.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.79 | 8.96 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cuyahoga County or Hamilton County more affordable?
- Hamilton County has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Cuyahoga County's $43k and Hamilton County's $42k. Median rent is $952 in Cuyahoga County versus $961 in Hamilton County.
- Is Cuyahoga County or Hamilton County safer?
- Hamilton County has the lower violent crime rate. Cuyahoga County reports 2367/100k and Hamilton County reports 1285/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cuyahoga County or Hamilton County?
- The median home value is $169k in Cuyahoga County and $205k in Hamilton County, so homes are more affordable in Cuyahoga County.