Relocation report 2026

Moving from Georgia to Ohio

Moving to Ohio on the same salary raises your real buying power by 6.8%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.

About 570 miles by road
Equal salary in OH
$74,000
matches $80,000 in GA
Take-home change per year
+$1,819
same $80,000 salary, after 2026 taxes
Moving cost (2–3 BR)
$510–$7,240
truck to full-service
Households made this move
2,912
IRS, 2022–2023
Your income

Equal salary in OH: $74,000

To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $74,000 in Ohio to match $80,000 in Georgia ($6,000 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.

Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.

Take-home in GA
$61,867
22.7% total tax
Take-home in OH
$63,686
20.4% total tax
Take-home change per year
+$1,819
same salary, after moving
Purchasing power
+6.8%
prices lower by 3.6%
Renting: yearly change after selected costs
+$7,004
take-home change − rent change ($1,506 → $1,090/mo) − power bill change
Buying the median home (20% down): yearly change after selected costs
+$8,616
take-home change − change in monthly cost to own the median home ($2,165 → $1,614/mo: 30-year mortgage at the current 6.95% average rate, property tax, insurance) − power bill change

These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.

2026 taxes on an $80,000 salary in Georgia and Ohio
Tax on $80,000GeorgiaOhio
Federal income tax$8,770$8,770
Social Security + Medicare$6,120$6,120
State income tax$3,244$1,425
State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit)$0$0
Take-home pay$61,867$63,686

Key facts: Georgia to Ohio

Median rent
$1,506 → $1,090/mo
Median home value
$343,300 → $239,800
Price level (U.S. = 100)
96.3 → 92.8
Road distance
≈ 570 miles
Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
Above average (73.6 → 79.0 of 100)

What changes when you move to Ohio

Yearly rent at the state median
Georgia$18,072
Ohio$13,080

Who moves from Georgia to Ohio

In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 2,912 households (4,981 people) filed their taxes in Ohio after filing in Georgia the year before. That makes Ohio the #12 destination for people leaving Georgia. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $57,702. Going the other way, 3,693 households moved from Ohio to Georgia, a net loss of 781 households for Ohio.

Five-year trend

Moves from Georgia to Ohio reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 14% from 2018–19.

Households moving GA → OH, by IRS tax year
2018–192,564
2019–202,692
2020–212,728
2021–222,715
2022–232,912

Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.

Cost to move from Georgia to Ohio

Moving cost: $510–$7,240

Moving about 570 miles from Georgia to Ohio costs roughly $510 – $7,240, depending on how much of the work you hire out.

Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).

Moving methodTypical range
Rental truck (DIY)
Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time.
$510 – $1,720
Moving container
You pack and load; the company drives the container.
$1,310 – $2,850
Full-service movers
Packing, loading, transport and unloading.
$2,150 – $7,240

These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.

A rental truck also burns about 57 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.

Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.

Shipping a car from Georgia to Ohio

Car shipping: $720–$1,080

Shipping a sedan from Georgia to Ohio on an open carrier costs about $720–$1,080, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 570 miles.

Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.

Georgia vs Ohio take-home pay at every salary

Salary needed in Ohio to match each Georgia salary, and take-home pay in both states (single filer, 2026 taxes)
SalaryEqual salary in OHTake-home changeTake-home in GATake-home in OH
$50,000$46,600+$1,147$40,609$41,756
$75,000$69,300+$1,707$58,599$60,306
$100,000$92,600+$2,260$74,939$77,199
$150,000$138,900+$3,380$107,055$110,435
$250,000$231,200+$5,620$171,456$177,076

Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.

At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Georgia, which narrows the gap shown.

Cost of living: Georgia vs Ohio

Prices, rent, home values and taxes in Georgia and Ohio
MeasureGeorgiaOhio
Overall price level (U.S. = 100)96.392.8
Housing price index88.773.0
Utilities price index92.895.8
Goods price index98.993.7
Median rent (monthly)$1,506$1,090
Median home value$343,300$239,800
Median property tax (yearly)$2,554$2,937
Electricity (residential)16.36¢/kWh19.19¢/kWh
State sales tax rate4%5.75%
Median household income$79,991$72,212

Renting and buying: Georgia vs Ohio

Cost to rent or buy the median home in Georgia and Ohio
MeasureGeorgiaOhio
Income to rent the median home (30% rule)$60,240$43,600
Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down)$2,165$1,614
Income needed to buy the median home$92,777$69,191
Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage)$1,608$1,198
Infant child care (center, yearly)$11,066$13,780

Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Ohio for other down payments.

Your yearly budget: Georgia vs Ohio

On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,925 a year in Georgia and $40,259 in Ohio if you rent: $8,666 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $56,831 and $46,553 ($10,278 less).

Your yearly budget, before vs after
Yearly costs on an $80,000 salary in Georgia and Ohio; change is Ohio minus Georgia
Yearly costGAOHChange
Income and payroll taxes
on $80,000, single filer
$18,134$16,315-$1,819
Electricity
state average bill
$1,815$1,622-$193
Car insurance
one car, state average
$1,555$947-$608
Gas
12,000 miles at 25 mpg
$1,969$2,139+$170
Health insurance
one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies
$7,380$6,156-$1,224
If you rent
Rent
median, 12 months
$18,072$13,080-$4,992
Total if you rent$48,925$40,259-$8,666
If you buy the median home (20% down)
Mortgage payment
median home, 20% down, 6.95%
$21,816$15,239-$6,577
Property tax
median home
$2,554$2,937+$383
Homeowners insurance
state median, with a mortgage
$1,608$1,198-$410
Total if you buy$56,831$46,553-$10,278

Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).

State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.

Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.

Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $11,066 a year in Georgia and $13,780 in Ohio (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).

Cost of living in Ohio cities: Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton.

After you arrive in Ohio

Frequently asked questions

How much salary do I need in Ohio to live like I do in Georgia?

An $80,000 salary in Georgia works out to about $74,000 in Ohio once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $92,600.

Will I pay less tax in Ohio than in Georgia?

Yes, about $1,819 less a year in income and payroll taxes on an $80,000 salary (22.7% of pay in Georgia vs 20.4% in Ohio). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.

How much does it cost to move from Georgia to Ohio?

For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 570 miles, expect roughly $510–$1,720 with a rental truck, $1,310–$2,850 with a moving container, or $2,150–$7,240 with full-service movers.

Are more people moving from Georgia to Ohio?

Moves from Georgia to Ohio reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 14% from 2018–19.

How many people move from Georgia to Ohio?

IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 2,912 households (4,981 people) moved from Georgia to Ohio, making Ohio the #12 destination for people leaving Georgia. 3,693 households moved the other way.

Is Ohio cheaper than Georgia?

Overall prices in Ohio are 3.6% lower than Georgia (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,090 vs $1,506 a month.

Compare other moves

Where people from Georgia actually move

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