What it costs to live and work in Ohio: the minimum wage, state income tax, sales tax and median rent, from official sources, and what they mean for your monthly budget.
| Ohio | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $11.00 an hour | US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws |
| State income tax | 2.75 % flat | Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 |
| State sales tax | 5.75 % | Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) |
| Median gross rent | $1,090 a month (2024) | US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state |
$11.00 an hour at employers with annual gross receipts of $405,000 or more; smaller employers pay the federal $7.25. It rises to $11.40 on January 1, 2027.
Since January 1, 2026 Ohio taxes nonbusiness income over $26,050 at a flat 2.75 %; income below that is not taxed.
The state sales tax is 5.75 %; counties add their own rates (average local rate 1.54 %).
What income does rent in Ohio take?
A common rule of thumb is to keep rent at or below 30 % of gross income. At the median rent of $1,090 a month, that means a household income of about $43,600 a year before tax.
Good to know
- Many Ohio cities levy their own income tax; on average it comes to about 1.2 % of adjusted gross income (Tax Foundation, IRS data for 2023).
- From January 1, 2027 the minimum wage is $11.40 an hour, and $5.70 plus tips for tipped employees (Ohio Department of Commerce 2027 poster).
Sources
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (2026-07-01)
- Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026-02-19)
- Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) (2026-07-06)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state (2024)
- Ohio Department of Commerce: State of Ohio 2027 Minimum Wage poster (2026-09-30)