States › Ohio › Portsmouth

Is Portsmouth, OH expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 17 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$51970% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$37,438about $3,120/month · 57% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$103,30069% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $20,760 a year. That is $10 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Ohio cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Ohio. It is number 2 of 288 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Portsmouth
$519
North Canton
$1,319
Streetsboro
$1,910
Tiffin
$1,082
Ashtabula
$852
Aurora
$3,500+
New Philadelphia
$936

How much do households earn in Portsmouth?

Under $25k
32.3%
$25k–50k
21.9%
$50k–100k
21.6%
$100k–150k
7.7%
$150k+
4.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 11.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Portsmouth

SizePortsmouthU.S. average
Studio$476$1,338
1 bedroom$571$1,324
2 bedrooms$814$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,107$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,168$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Portsmouth overall?

Everyday prices in Ohio overall are 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
73
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
96
Other services
99
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Portsmouth, so the Ohio figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Portsmouth

🏛️ Property tax$1,222a year · 1.18% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$135a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Portsmouth

Commute to work20.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree17.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home48.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line35.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment8.2%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Portsmouth?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $198 a month less.

Renting
$519
Owning
$717

Owning assumes a typical $103,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $10,330 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Portsmouth, OH?

Renting in Portsmouth costs a median of about $519 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Ohio median is $1,261.

How much do I need to make to live in Portsmouth?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $20,760 a year, or $10 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Portsmouth cheap or expensive?

Portsmouth is rated Cheap: rent takes 16.6% of the typical household income of $37,438. It ranks 2nd cheapest of 288 Ohio cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Portsmouth?

The median homeowner in Portsmouth pays $1,222 a year in property taxes, about 1.18% of the median home value.

Is Portsmouth more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Ohio are 7% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Portsmouth?

The median home value in Portsmouth is $103,300, about 2.8 times the typical yearly household income.

17,728 people live in Portsmouth. Numbers are typical (middle) values.