Where to move from Ohio
On a $70,000 salary (about the Ohio median household income) you keep $56,594 after 2026 taxes. 16 states have lower overall prices, and the biggest gain in buying power (+7.5%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
Buying power by destination
Every state ranked for someone leaving Ohio
The ranking starts at about Ohio's median household income. Enter your own salary and filing status to re-rank every state for you.
At a salary of $70,000, filing single, the biggest gain in buying power (+7.5%) comes from moving to South Dakota.
| Move to | Buying power | Take-home change | Rent / mo | Equal salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | +7.5% | +$1,482 | $999 | $64,500 |
| North Dakota | +6.8% | +$1,397 | $980 | $64,800 |
| Mississippi | +5.6% | -$587 | $990 | $65,700 |
| Arkansas | +5.4% | -$713 | $982 | $65,800 |
| Louisiana | +4.8% | -$233 | $1,064 | $66,200 |
| Iowa | +4.7% | -$527 | $981 | $66,200 |
| Tennessee | +3.6% | +$1,482 | $1,284 | $67,100 |
| Oklahoma | +3.6% | -$1,123 | $1,044 | $67,100 |
| Wyoming | +2.7% | +$1,482 | $998 | $67,800 |
| West Virginia | +2.2% | -$835 | $883 | $68,200 |
| Alabama | +1.8% | -$1,450 | $1,077 | $68,500 |
| Nebraska | +1.5% | -$824 | $1,102 | $68,700 |
| Kentucky | +1.3% | -$851 | $998 | $68,900 |
| Missouri | +0.7% | -$825 | $1,067 | $69,400 |
| Kansas | 0.0% | -$1,625 | $1,079 | $70,000 |
| New Mexico | -0.5% | -$643 | $1,117 | $70,400 |
| Texas | -1.9% | +$1,482 | $1,475 | $71,600 |
| South Carolina | -2.4% | -$844 | $1,272 | $72,200 |
| North Carolina | -3.0% | -$803 | $1,338 | $72,600 |
| Wisconsin | -3.4% | -$1,165 | $1,142 | $73,000 |
| Indiana | -3.5% | -$1,693 | $1,104 | $73,000 |
| Montana | -3.8% | -$1,113 | $1,177 | $73,400 |
| Idaho | -4.8% | -$1,120 | $1,384 | $74,300 |
| Nevada | -4.8% | +$1,482 | $1,709 | $74,100 |
| Michigan | -5.7% | -$1,243 | $1,168 | $75,000 |
| Georgia | -5.8% | -$1,263 | $1,506 | $75,200 |
| Pennsylvania | -6.1% | -$717 | $1,252 | $75,400 |
| Vermont | -6.4% | -$678 | $1,319 | $76,000 |
| Alaska | -7.4% | +$1,211 | $1,444 | $76,600 |
| Maine | -7.6% | -$1,916 | $1,210 | $77,100 |
| Arizona | -7.6% | +$134 | $1,672 | $76,900 |
| Florida | -7.9% | +$1,482 | $1,812 | $77,100 |
| Utah | -8.4% | -$1,341 | $1,593 | $77,800 |
| New Hampshire | -8.6% | +$1,482 | $1,558 | $77,800 |
| Minnesota | -9.3% | -$2,063 | $1,291 | $78,900 |
| Illinois | -10.2% | -$1,839 | $1,322 | $79,500 |
| Delaware | -10.4% | -$2,078 | $1,530 | $80,000 |
| Virginia | -11.0% | -$1,729 | $1,646 | $80,500 |
| Rhode Island | -11.4% | -$1,297 | $1,418 | $80,800 |
| Colorado | -11.9% | -$1,198 | $1,822 | $81,400 |
| Washington | -12.5% | +$510 | $1,824 | $81,800 |
| Connecticut | -13.7% | -$2,044 | $1,550 | $83,500 |
| Massachusetts | -15.6% | -$2,121 | $1,848 | $85,500 |
| Oregon | -16.2% | -$3,722 | $1,597 | $86,400 |
| New Jersey | -16.7% | -$1,323 | $1,800 | $87,400 |
| Maryland | -17.0% | -$3,447 | $1,721 | $87,400 |
| New York | -17.0% | -$2,004 | $1,634 | $87,400 |
| Washington, DC | -18.0% | -$1,622 | $1,931 | $89,300 |
| California | -18.7% | -$1,694 | $2,104 | $90,900 |
| Hawaii | -19.2% | -$2,385 | $1,942 | $90,600 |
Single filer, $70,000 W-2 salary. "Buying power" is after-tax pay adjusted for regional prices, and "Equal salary" is the pay that keeps it the same (see how to work out the salary you need). Weighing a state with no income tax? See what you really save.
Not sure where to go? Take the where-should-I-move quiz to match states to your budget and priorities, or read how to choose a city to move to.
Where Ohio residents actually move
Ohio lost households to other states in every one of the last five IRS years.
IRS Statistics of Income migration data, 2022–2023. See national migration.
Everyday costs in Ohio
- Average electric bill
- $148/mo
- Regular gas
- $4.27/gal
- Insure + fuel one car
- $2,995/yr
- Health plan, age 40
- $513/mo
- Natural hazard county-score mean
- High county-score mean (79 of 100)
EIA 2025 bills, AAA gas, NAIC insurance + 12,000 miles of gas, KFF 2026 benchmark silver before subsidies, FEMA National Risk Index, Census ACS 2024. Risk is a population-weighted mean of FEMA county scores, not an official FEMA state rating or national state percentile.
Cities in Ohio
- Cost of living in Cincinnati
- Cost of living in Columbus
- Cost of living in Cleveland
- Cost of living in Dayton
- Cost of living in Akron
- Cost of living in Toledo
More about living in Ohio
Cost of living
Prices and the salary it takes to rent, buy, or live a typical lifestyle in Ohio.
Buying a home
Income needed and monthly cost of the median Ohio home.
Retiring in Ohio
How Ohio taxes Social Security, pensions and 401(k)s.
Moving to Ohio
Who moves here, what it costs, and the driver license and registration deadlines.
Moving costs
What it costs to move from Ohio to every other state.
Car shipping
What it costs to ship a car from Ohio to every state.
Disaster risk
Modeled state means and FEMA county risk for Ohio.
Health insurance
2026 Marketplace premiums in Ohio by age.
Property tax by county
Effective rates for every Ohio county.
Frequently asked questions
Where do people from Ohio move?
The top destinations in IRS data for 2022–2023 were Florida (13,170 households), Kentucky (6,769 households), Texas (6,519 households).
Is Ohio gaining or losing residents to other states?
Ohio had a net loss of 7,994 households to other states in 2022–2023 (IRS).
Which state gives the most buying power if I leave Ohio?
On a $70,000 salary, South Dakota raises your after-tax, price-adjusted income the most (+7.5%).
Moving to Ohio instead?
The Moving to Ohio guide covers where newcomers come from, the cost of living and the first-month deadlines. Reports for the most common moves here are listed below; for any other move, use the calculator.