Most cash-strapped cities in Ohio (2026)
East Cleveland is the most cash-strapped city in Ohio on our Cash Strain Index, followed by Youngstown, Portsmouth. We ranked all 182 Ohio cities with 10,000+ residents on rent burden, low household incomes, poverty and unemployment. New Albany ranks as the least strained.
All 182 Ohio cities ranked
| Rank | City | Score | Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | Households under $35k | Poverty rate | Unemployment rate | Rent as % of median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Cleveland | 100.0 | 63.6% | 65.6% | 40.7% | 18.4% | 42.1% |
| 2 | Youngstown | 99.3 | 57.1% | 50.6% | 37.3% | 11.9% | 25.4% |
| 3 | Portsmouth | 98.4 | 59.5% | 50.3% | 35.4% | 8.2% | 25.8% |
| 4 | Cleveland | 98.1 | 53.2% | 44.3% | 30.6% | 10.8% | 27.8% |
| 5 | Warren | 98.0 | 58.1% | 47.3% | 31.9% | 9.4% | 24.3% |
| 6 | Shiloh | 97.0 | 58.4% | 41.4% | 24.5% | 11.4% | 23.1% |
| 7 | Ashtabula | 96.3 | 49.1% | 38.8% | 29.8% | 11.8% | 21.6% |
| 8 | Maple Heights | 95.4 | 43.1% | 30.3% | 25.4% | 11.6% | 30.1% |
| 9 | Dayton | 95.2 | 53.0% | 40.2% | 26.9% | 9.0% | 24.3% |
| 10 | Garfield Heights | 93.1 | 61.0% | 33.2% | 22.0% | 8.4% | 24.8% |
| 11 | Canton | 92.8 | 47.8% | 41.7% | 27.4% | 7.8% | 23.6% |
| 12 | Akron | 91.2 | 53.8% | 36.5% | 23.3% | 7.8% | 23.8% |
| 13 | Whitehall | 91.0 | 57.6% | 32.4% | 16.4% | 8.8% | 26.5% |
| 14 | Marion | 90.7 | 51.1% | 37.6% | 22.4% | 9.4% | 21.4% |
| 15 | Zanesville | 90.2 | 50.6% | 40.1% | 24.1% | 7.4% | 22.8% |
| 16 | Trotwood | 89.5 | 50.3% | 33.1% | 21.5% | 8.6% | 24.7% |
| 17 | Springfield | 89.2 | 45.9% | 37.0% | 23.1% | 9.4% | 21.7% |
| 18 | Lorain | 89.2 | 54.8% | 37.9% | 25.2% | 6.3% | 21.9% |
| 19 | Painesville | 89.1 | 51.4% | 35.1% | 25.6% | 6.5% | 24.1% |
| 20 | Sandusky | 88.3 | 46.0% | 38.0% | 25.6% | 7.8% | 21.7% |
| 21 | Lima | 88.0 | 41.6% | 37.4% | 23.9% | 8.5% | 23.4% |
| 22 | Conneaut | 87.8 | 54.2% | 31.5% | 19.4% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| 23 | Cincinnati | 87.8 | 50.1% | 35.0% | 25.5% | 6.8% | 22.7% |
| 24 | Coshocton | 87.2 | 50.4% | 37.8% | 25.9% | 7.4% | 18.9% |
| 25 | Toledo | 86.5 | 46.3% | 35.9% | 24.3% | 7.7% | 21.7% |
| 26 | Mansfield | 86.4 | 45.0% | 39.3% | 23.5% | 7.3% | 21.9% |
| 27 | Warrensville Heights | 86.4 | 47.1% | 29.4% | 21.4% | 8.3% | 25.2% |
| 28 | Ironton | 85.3 | 50.4% | 37.7% | 23.7% | 6.8% | 19.7% |
| 29 | Steubenville | 84.5 | 49.0% | 40.7% | 26.6% | 5.3% | 19.3% |
| 30 | Cambridge | 84.2 | 48.8% | 42.5% | 27.9% | 3.0% | 22.0% |
| 31 | Marietta | 83.5 | 56.4% | 40.1% | 19.1% | 4.7% | 21.6% |
| 32 | Euclid | 82.0 | 50.0% | 35.6% | 16.6% | 6.1% | 24.5% |
| 33 | Ravenna | 81.7 | 58.0% | 35.8% | 19.1% | 6.0% | 18.9% |
| 34 | Salem | 80.4 | 51.2% | 35.4% | 21.3% | 6.2% | 19.5% |
| 35 | Fremont | 76.4 | 43.4% | 37.1% | 22.7% | 5.5% | 19.8% |
| 36 | Middletown | 75.4 | 52.0% | 31.3% | 17.1% | 5.9% | 21.2% |
| 37 | Bedford Heights | 75.0 | 50.1% | 30.4% | 12.7% | 6.5% | 24.1% |
| 38 | Bedford | 74.8 | 48.3% | 27.9% | 13.6% | 8.1% | 22.2% |
| 39 | Xenia | 74.7 | 51.6% | 31.2% | 17.9% | 6.2% | 19.9% |
| 40 | Northbrook | 73.7 | 68.5% | 19.6% | 10.7% | 3.4% | 27.7% |
| 41 | Hamilton | 73.5 | 45.4% | 30.4% | 19.6% | 5.9% | 21.9% |
| 42 | Springdale | 71.2 | 63.7% | 23.9% | 12.0% | 5.3% | 21.7% |
| 43 | Franklin | 70.2 | 48.6% | 28.8% | 22.5% | 4.6% | 20.1% |
| 44 | Cleveland Heights | 68.0 | 50.4% | 24.7% | 15.9% | 6.8% | 20.0% |
| 45 | Chillicothe | 67.5 | 47.5% | 33.3% | 17.4% | 4.9% | 19.7% |
| 46 | Greenville | 66.6 | 52.9% | 36.4% | 14.2% | 4.0% | 19.4% |
| 47 | Columbus | 66.5 | 46.6% | 24.0% | 18.1% | 5.1% | 23.5% |
| 48 | Circleville | 65.7 | 43.2% | 27.4% | 18.9% | 6.8% | 19.0% |
| 49 | Parma Heights | 65.2 | 56.7% | 26.2% | 13.9% | 4.1% | 21.9% |
| 50 | Alliance | 63.1 | 39.2% | 34.3% | 23.8% | 4.3% | 17.9% |
| 51 | Elyria | 62.8 | 44.6% | 29.7% | 16.7% | 5.6% | 19.8% |
| 52 | Mount Vernon | 61.5 | 46.2% | 28.6% | 21.9% | 2.8% | 21.1% |
| 53 | Richmond Heights | 60.9 | 38.7% | 21.3% | 9.9% | 11.2% | 19.0% |
| 54 | Lancaster | 60.8 | 51.0% | 25.4% | 12.6% | 5.0% | 22.0% |
| 55 | Niles | 60.8 | 44.7% | 36.1% | 16.2% | 4.2% | 18.8% |
| 56 | Galion | 59.2 | 45.7% | 32.5% | 15.2% | 5.0% | 18.5% |
| 57 | Fostoria | 58.3 | 40.2% | 31.7% | 16.4% | 6.2% | 17.9% |
| 58 | Wilmington | 57.8 | 44.0% | 31.9% | 17.5% | 4.2% | 19.1% |
| 59 | Austintown | 57.6 | 47.4% | 30.7% | 16.9% | 4.5% | 17.8% |
| 60 | Piqua | 55.8 | 53.8% | 27.9% | 17.6% | 3.7% | 16.3% |
| 61 | Norwood | 55.4 | 49.3% | 28.0% | 17.5% | 4.6% | 16.4% |
| 62 | Tiffin | 54.1 | 46.4% | 31.4% | 14.8% | 3.8% | 19.0% |
| 63 | Barberton | 54.1 | 41.0% | 32.6% | 15.6% | 4.2% | 19.5% |
| 64 | Bucyrus | 53.0 | 41.3% | 29.5% | 14.9% | 6.2% | 16.9% |
| 65 | Riverside | 53.0 | 36.9% | 24.2% | 15.3% | 6.6% | 20.5% |
| 66 | New Philadelphia | 52.9 | 47.6% | 29.2% | 15.9% | 3.7% | 18.4% |
| 67 | Norwalk | 52.2 | 43.4% | 28.8% | 16.3% | 5.4% | 16.5% |
| 68 | Washington Court House | 52.2 | 36.6% | 33.7% | 17.7% | 5.3% | 16.5% |
| 69 | Ashland | 50.9 | 43.7% | 30.5% | 16.6% | 3.8% | 17.9% |
| 70 | Macedonia | 48.9 | 57.3% | 14.6% | 4.1% | 4.4% | 25.9% |
| 71 | Newark | 48.5 | 41.3% | 28.0% | 17.1% | 3.8% | 18.9% |
| 72 | Eastlake | 47.4 | 55.8% | 24.1% | 8.4% | 4.1% | 18.8% |
| 73 | University Heights | 46.8 | 54.4% | 16.5% | 11.1% | 5.3% | 18.6% |
| 74 | Reading | 46.4 | 45.9% | 26.7% | 12.0% | 4.6% | 18.2% |
| 75 | Massillon | 46.2 | 43.5% | 26.8% | 13.9% | 4.4% | 18.3% |
| 76 | Reynoldsburg | 45.9 | 47.0% | 19.8% | 12.0% | 4.7% | 20.7% |
| 77 | Bellefontaine | 44.9 | 34.9% | 25.8% | 18.1% | 5.3% | 17.5% |
| 78 | Parma | 44.6 | 43.5% | 20.9% | 10.1% | 6.5% | 18.8% |
| 79 | West Carrollton | 43.1 | 39.6% | 26.9% | 16.0% | 3.1% | 20.0% |
| 80 | Forestville | 42.8 | 58.1% | 20.6% | 4.5% | 4.3% | 19.7% |
| 81 | Dover | 42.7 | 43.6% | 30.2% | 11.5% | 3.5% | 18.6% |
| 82 | Fairfield | 42.5 | 48.7% | 20.1% | 8.4% | 5.5% | 19.1% |
| 83 | Fairborn | 41.6 | 42.4% | 24.9% | 13.7% | 3.9% | 19.0% |
| 84 | Mayfield Heights | 41.5 | 39.3% | 24.9% | 8.5% | 5.7% | 20.3% |
| 85 | White Oak | 41.0 | 53.1% | 22.3% | 8.2% | 4.0% | 18.6% |
| 86 | Finneytown | 40.4 | 52.7% | 12.4% | 8.9% | 4.9% | 20.9% |
| 87 | Medina | 40.4 | 49.5% | 20.6% | 8.3% | 5.9% | 16.7% |
| 88 | Willoughby | 39.4 | 47.7% | 21.1% | 9.5% | 4.1% | 19.7% |
| 89 | Van Wert | 37.2 | 38.3% | 26.9% | 14.2% | 4.2% | 16.7% |
| 90 | Beachwood | 35.8 | 46.4% | 14.7% | 3.8% | 5.4% | 23.0% |
| 91 | Sidney | 35.8 | 36.4% | 23.9% | 14.2% | 4.8% | 17.2% |
| 92 | Troy | 35.3 | 41.5% | 22.8% | 12.6% | 4.2% | 17.5% |
| 93 | Findlay | 35.1 | 37.8% | 26.5% | 12.3% | 3.5% | 19.0% |
| 94 | Brook Park | 34.4 | 46.8% | 21.5% | 8.9% | 3.7% | 18.9% |
| 95 | Forest Park | 34.2 | 39.2% | 17.4% | 10.6% | 5.0% | 20.6% |
| 96 | Defiance | 34.1 | 31.5% | 24.7% | 14.7% | 5.5% | 16.7% |
| 97 | Lakewood | 33.1 | 36.7% | 23.2% | 10.3% | 5.0% | 18.6% |
| 98 | Urbana | 32.6 | 33.0% | 23.0% | 13.6% | 5.7% | 16.5% |
| 99 | Berea | 30.0 | 42.6% | 19.7% | 8.1% | 5.2% | 17.0% |
| 100 | London | 29.2 | 41.0% | 19.3% | 10.8% | 4.0% | 18.2% |
| 101 | Miamisburg | 29.2 | 38.6% | 15.1% | 11.8% | 6.1% | 16.4% |
| 102 | Wooster | 28.3 | 39.0% | 26.8% | 9.2% | 3.8% | 16.5% |
| 103 | Seven Hills | 27.1 | 58.8% | 12.2% | 4.8% | 2.5% | 19.6% |
| 104 | Amelia | 26.7 | 40.4% | 24.1% | 13.0% | 2.7% | 16.2% |
| 105 | Sharonville | 26.6 | 45.2% | 25.4% | 9.1% | 1.3% | 18.8% |
| 106 | Fairview Park | 26.5 | 46.2% | 18.4% | 9.4% | 4.1% | 15.8% |
| 107 | Amherst | 26.1 | 59.5% | 14.6% | 6.2% | 4.8% | 12.0% |
| 108 | South Euclid | 25.7 | 37.6% | 17.9% | 6.5% | 4.9% | 20.2% |
| 109 | Kettering | 25.4 | 44.1% | 20.0% | 8.3% | 3.8% | 16.9% |
| 110 | Streetsboro | 24.0 | 42.6% | 16.9% | 5.6% | 5.1% | 17.7% |
| 111 | Heath | 23.4 | 37.7% | 20.5% | 8.6% | 3.7% | 18.8% |
| 112 | Centerville | 22.9 | 44.0% | 17.3% | 8.6% | 3.4% | 17.8% |
| 113 | Englewood | 22.6 | 52.2% | 19.3% | 6.4% | 3.4% | 14.3% |
| 114 | Cuyahoga Falls | 22.4 | 39.4% | 20.9% | 10.5% | 3.2% | 17.1% |
| 115 | Twinsburg | 22.2 | 59.7% | 14.1% | 4.1% | 2.6% | 16.4% |
| 116 | Huber Heights | 22.0 | 39.9% | 16.5% | 9.6% | 3.4% | 19.1% |
| 117 | Monroe | 20.7 | 56.5% | 8.4% | 4.5% | 3.2% | 18.3% |
| 118 | North Canton | 18.5 | 46.3% | 21.9% | 6.4% | 1.7% | 17.0% |
| 119 | Brooklyn | 18.3 | 33.4% | 22.8% | 9.1% | 3.6% | 16.8% |
| 120 | North Olmsted | 17.7 | 43.8% | 17.0% | 8.3% | 3.0% | 16.2% |
| 121 | Wadsworth | 17.1 | 45.0% | 16.0% | 8.1% | 2.9% | 16.1% |
| 122 | Celina | 17.0 | 38.9% | 26.4% | 11.4% | 1.4% | 14.5% |
| 123 | Lebanon | 16.6 | 46.9% | 18.6% | 8.7% | 1.7% | 15.6% |
| 124 | Aurora | 16.1 | 51.6% | 9.3% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 16.9% |
| 125 | Shaker Heights | 15.5 | 38.1% | 18.6% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 13.5% |
| 126 | Green | 14.7 | 42.0% | 18.7% | 7.1% | 2.9% | 15.5% |
| 127 | Westlake | 14.5 | 46.7% | 12.0% | 4.9% | 3.5% | 16.8% |
| 128 | Vermilion | 14.4 | 26.4% | 21.2% | 6.7% | 4.3% | 18.9% |
| 129 | Rocky River | 13.9 | 46.7% | 18.1% | 5.4% | 2.6% | 15.0% |
| 130 | Grove City | 13.7 | 43.8% | 13.1% | 6.4% | 3.0% | 17.1% |
| 131 | Lyndhurst | 13.2 | 47.3% | 17.1% | 4.7% | 2.0% | 16.4% |
| 132 | Stow | 13.2 | 42.4% | 15.0% | 5.2% | 3.9% | 15.5% |
| 133 | Trenton | 13.1 | 34.5% | 10.8% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 19.1% |
| 134 | Tallmadge | 12.9 | 43.4% | 15.6% | 5.0% | 4.1% | 14.3% |
| 135 | Vandalia | 12.5 | 31.1% | 23.2% | 9.0% | 3.6% | 14.4% |
| 136 | Wickliffe | 12.5 | 32.5% | 17.7% | 6.6% | 3.8% | 17.7% |
| 137 | Delaware | 12.5 | 43.8% | 14.6% | 7.8% | 2.6% | 15.5% |
| 138 | Westerville | 12.1 | 51.2% | 13.0% | 5.6% | 2.2% | 15.0% |
| 139 | Brunswick | 12.1 | 46.4% | 17.0% | 6.1% | 2.0% | 15.3% |
| 140 | Mentor | 11.7 | 41.9% | 15.5% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 16.7% |
| 141 | Pickerington | 11.6 | 48.0% | 8.3% | 3.6% | 3.5% | 17.2% |
| 142 | Oregon | 11.2 | 37.3% | 21.1% | 8.5% | 3.1% | 13.1% |
| 143 | Monfort Heights | 11.0 | 51.6% | 11.4% | 1.9% | 3.7% | 14.4% |
| 144 | Tipp City | 10.2 | 43.4% | 21.8% | 6.2% | 2.0% | 13.2% |
| 145 | Willowick | 9.9 | 35.3% | 15.9% | 5.7% | 3.8% | 16.4% |
| 146 | Pataskala | 9.8 | 36.9% | 12.2% | 6.5% | 3.2% | 18.1% |
| 147 | Loveland | 9.7 | 40.1% | 12.6% | 7.8% | 2.9% | 15.9% |
| 148 | Dent | 9.1 | 39.2% | 14.3% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 15.3% |
| 149 | North Royalton | 9.0 | 33.0% | 13.6% | 5.8% | 4.6% | 16.0% |
| 150 | Gahanna | 8.8 | 44.7% | 10.3% | 5.6% | 2.6% | 16.1% |
| 151 | Sylvania | 8.4 | 41.3% | 14.0% | 5.6% | 3.9% | 12.8% |
| 152 | Strongsville | 8.3 | 43.4% | 12.7% | 5.3% | 2.7% | 15.1% |
| 153 | Marysville | 8.1 | 39.6% | 11.0% | 6.7% | 3.1% | 15.8% |
| 154 | Norton | 7.9 | 36.2% | 13.6% | 6.1% | 4.2% | 14.0% |
| 155 | Brecksville | 7.4 | 36.9% | 9.4% | 3.5% | 5.6% | 14.1% |
| 156 | Beavercreek | 7.3 | 35.2% | 10.9% | 6.9% | 3.6% | 15.9% |
| 157 | Middleburg Heights | 6.8 | 35.5% | 18.3% | 4.7% | 2.0% | 16.4% |
| 158 | Perrysburg | 6.0 | 38.2% | 15.1% | 4.1% | 3.7% | 12.9% |
| 159 | Worthington | 5.8 | 47.5% | 8.7% | 3.2% | 3.9% | 11.6% |
| 160 | Hudson | 5.5 | 48.7% | 7.5% | 3.7% | 1.3% | 16.4% |
| 161 | Clayton | 5.4 | 39.8% | 11.2% | 7.0% | 2.5% | 13.8% |
| 162 | Maumee | 5.2 | 38.5% | 16.8% | 4.9% | 1.6% | 14.8% |
| 163 | Avon | 5.1 | 41.6% | 13.2% | 3.0% | 1.8% | 15.9% |
| 164 | North Ridgeville | 5.1 | 40.8% | 10.6% | 5.7% | 2.7% | 13.8% |
| 165 | Montgomery | 4.9 | 51.8% | 5.0% | 3.3% | 2.7% | 12.8% |
| 166 | Harrison | 4.6 | 35.7% | 17.7% | 6.9% | 1.5% | 13.8% |
| 167 | New Franklin | 4.4 | 29.7% | 11.1% | 6.1% | 4.0% | 15.1% |
| 168 | Canal Winchester | 4.1 | 39.2% | 12.1% | 4.5% | 1.7% | 15.5% |
| 169 | Solon | 3.8 | 42.8% | 9.1% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 14.0% |
| 170 | Hilliard | 3.6 | 34.2% | 9.4% | 5.8% | 2.7% | 15.3% |
| 171 | Bexley | 3.4 | 49.2% | 10.2% | 3.5% | 2.5% | 9.6% |
| 172 | Avon Lake | 3.3 | 36.2% | 12.9% | 3.2% | 1.6% | 16.0% |
| 173 | Bridgetown | 2.1 | 24.5% | 13.9% | 5.6% | 2.6% | 15.1% |
| 174 | Blue Ash | 1.6 | 32.9% | 9.4% | 4.0% | 1.2% | 16.2% |
| 175 | Broadview Heights | 1.5 | 33.1% | 13.2% | 5.1% | 1.5% | 12.6% |
| 176 | Mason | 1.3 | 28.7% | 8.4% | 3.6% | 2.0% | 16.8% |
| 177 | Dublin | 1.3 | 35.4% | 8.8% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 12.6% |
| 178 | Bay Village | 1.3 | 41.8% | 11.1% | 4.0% | 2.3% | 8.1% |
| 179 | Springboro | 1.0 | 36.7% | 5.9% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 12.1% |
| 180 | Upper Arlington | 1.0 | 36.4% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 2.0% | 12.3% |
| 181 | Powell | 0.4 | 31.1% | 4.1% | 1.1% | 2.0% | 13.5% |
| 182 | New Albany | 0.3 | 35.6% | 4.0% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 11.9% |
Score = national percentile (100 = more strain than every other ranked U.S. city). See the national ranking, or personal loans in Ohio.
Download the full dataset (CSV)
Methodology
The Cash Strain Index combines five measures of household financial pressure for every U.S. city with 10,000+ residents that has complete data (4,121 cities; college towns with a median age under 25 are excluded because student households distort income measures): the share of renters paying 30% or more of income on rent, the share of households earning under $35,000, the poverty rate, the unemployment rate, and median annual rent as a percentage of median household income. Each measure is standardized (z-score) across all ranked cities and the five are averaged with equal weight. The score shown is a percentile from 0 to 100, where 100 means more strain than every other ranked city. The national list ranks cities with 100,000+ residents; state lists rank every city with 10,000+ residents.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B25070, B19001, B17001, B23025, B25064, B19013). ACS estimates carry margins of error, so small differences between neighboring ranks are not meaningful.
Use this data
Journalists, researchers and bloggers may use these rankings and the CSV with credit and a link to this page (“Zebra Finance Cash Strain Index 2026”). Questions or a custom cut for your city: support@zebrafinance.com.