Cincinnati grades D overall, ranked 957th of 987 in Ohio, mostly because of safety and incomes. It reports more crime per resident than 96% of U.S. towns, including 2,451 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. The median household income is $53K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 97% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 293 places on the National Register. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Cincinnati, above both Ohio’s towns (9.1%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Its National Register listings include George Hunt Pendleton House and William Howard Taft National Historic Site. On the outdoors, just 24 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns do better.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability A⁺OutdoorsWeakestD⁻Safety C⁻Jobs & income CSchools

What makes Cincinnati stand out

Where Cincinnati beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

George Hunt Pendleton House

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1788

A history going back 238 years.

Biggest of 8

College	Students
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	34,477
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	6,513
Xavier University	5,403

Colleges in town

8 colleges

47,864 students on campus

Students are 11% of residents.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Cincinnati7.7

Ohio2.9

U.S.3.3

Worth knowing · SafetyD⁻

2.7 times the violent crime than OH

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

George Hunt Pendleton House · National Register of Historic Places

Cincinnati’s story

238 years in pictures

George Hunt Pendleton House is one of 10 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1788, comes before those of 98% of the Ohio towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 850 in 1800, a peak of 503,998 in 1950, 309,317 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1819 and 4 maps from 1914 on.

293 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1788Cincinnati is settled

Explore the history →

How Cincinnati grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Cincinnati is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.8 of 20; 17.1% of households have no car; 11% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →SafetyD⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →Jobs & incomeC⁻Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthUniversity of Cincinnati Medical Center 0.3 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors17% conserved landA⁺Open →History31 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life5.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market52 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.2; 42% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Paycor Stadium and 51 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cincinnati. Close and well known come first.

All 77 attractions →

in town Stadium & arenaPaycor Stadium

in town Stadium & arenaGreat American Ball Park

in town Stadium & arenaNippert Stadium

in town Stadium & arenaTQL Stadium

Big draw19 mi Theme parkKings Island3.5M visitors a year

in town Zoo & aquariumCincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden1.2M visitors a year

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Paycor Stadium: JonRidinger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Great American Ball Park: Eric Kilby profile at Flickr website, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Nippert Stadium: Ben Levin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · TQL Stadium: Cornfield948, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kings Island: Eli Duke from Portland, OR, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5

Getting set up

Moving to Cincinnati: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Cincinnati, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerDuke Energy16.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterGCWWNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site

SchoolsCincinnati City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDirector, Hamilton County Board of ElectionsHamilton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026

ZIP codes45211, 45219, 45238, 4520545211 7% · 45219 7% · 45238 7% · 45205 6%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati draws workers from West Chester Township and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at about twice the Ohio rate.

OutdoorsA⁺

Trail density in Cincinnati is higher than in most of Ohio or the rest of the country

Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #15 of 993 in Ohio.

The trail density in Cincinnati is 1.7 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Mount Airy Forest, 1,412 acres with 29.5 miles of trail. 132 miles of trail in 184 parks and preserves.

#27for trails in OH

17.2%

conserved · 8,708 of 50,701 acres

132 mi

of trails · 1.7 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Mount Airy Forest	29.5 mi	1,412
2. Ault Park	7.7 mi	221
3. California Woods Nature Preserve	3.4 mi	161

Full pageCincinnati’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map132 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk29.5 miles of trail · Mount Airy Forest Conserved land17.2% conserved · 8,708 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Cincinnati?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC

Public schools in Cincinnati fall behind 70% of Ohio districts

Its public schools are run by the Cincinnati Public Schools. Three of its 117 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

30%of OH districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Carson SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6	Grades PK–6	742	D
Walnut Hills High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12	Grades 7–12	2,453	A⁺
Kilgour SchoolTop results in townGrades K–6	Grades K–6	577	A⁺

Full pageCincinnati’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsCincinnati Public Schools Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 9 graded neighbors Every school117 schools · Carson School Questions“Are Cincinnati’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation

SafetyD⁻

For safety, Cincinnati earns a D−

Violent crime runs at 7.7 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Ohio rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Each of the 3 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Springfield Township (B−) to Delhi Township (B−).

Cincinnati’s violent crime rate is 7.8 per 1,000 residents. Cincinnati reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 96% report less. Cincinnati’s property crime rate is 35.9 per 1,000 residents.

4%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Cincinnati	Ohio towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	7.8 per 1,000 residents	1.2	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	35.9 per 1,000 residents	9.4	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Cincinnati7.7

Ohio2.9

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Cincinnati35.9

Ohio14.7

U.S.15.5

4th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

3rd

percentile among OH towns

2,451

violent crimes reported in 2025

11,365

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageCincinnati’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type7.7 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 3 graded neighbors Questions“Is Cincinnati, OH safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁻

More of Cincinnati’s working residents work locally than in the typical Ohio or U.S. town

224,701 jobs are based in Cincinnati, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

40% of working residents work locally in Cincinnati. Since 2013, Cincinnati has added 30,822 jobs, to 224,701 in 2023. 15% of workers work from home in Cincinnati.

40%work in town

	Cincinnati	Ohio towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	40%	6.8%	8%
Median household income	$53,000	$75,000	$80,000
Work from home	15%	9.7%	11%
Average trip to work	22 minutes	24 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Cincinnati40%

Blue Ash3%

West Chester Township2%

Norwood2%

Sharonville2%

7 mi

median commute distance

224,701

jobs based in Cincinnati

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 97% of U.S. towns

Full pageCincinnati’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here224,701 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work40% work in Cincinnati Commute times22 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 7 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Cincinnati faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

723 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 81 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 723 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cincinnati.

24risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves

723

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageCincinnati’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims723 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters7 federal disasters · Paid out in Cincinnati Get ready5.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthC

On CDC estimates, Cincinnati is less healthy than 69% of U.S. towns

Against the 6,758 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cincinnati’s, it is healthier than 61%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.

Cincinnati beats the Ohio average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 23% of Cincinnati adults worry about having enough food.

31%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Cincinnati	Ohio towns	U.S. towns
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	23%	13%	14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	41%	38%	36%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	20%	18%	17%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	36%	34%	33%

32 measures vs. Ohio

4 better17 too close to call11 worse

What stands out	Cincinnati	OH
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.9%	8.7%
Fewer adults with arthritis	25.2%	29.8%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	14.3%	8.3%

University of Cincinnati Medical Center

0.3 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

42nd

percentile among OH towns

Full pageCincinnati’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults sleeping under 7 hours Hospitals & doctors nearby0.3 miles to an ER · University of Cincinnati Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than OH on 4 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Cincinnati

Cincinnati has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 23° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.

16″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter26–42°

Spring43–65°

Summer64–85°

Fall46–67°

Oct 25

typical first frost

Apr 16

typical last frost

+1.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageCincinnati’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 23°Rain & snow16″ of snow a winter · 44 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

A typical Cincinnati home is worth about $246K

Only 9 of the 993 Ohio towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Cincinnati.

$246KZillow home value

	Cincinnati	Ohio towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	40%	77%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	50%	42%	48%
Median rent	$1,001 a month	$943 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Cincinnati$246K

Ohio$246K

Market temperature

days on market

98.8%

sale-to-list price

+0.3%

value change, 1 year

333

homes sold in May

Full pageCincinnati’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsAbout the same as a year ago Years of income to buyA typical home costs 4.6 years of income Rents$1,001 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 9 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Cincinnati

20pages on Cincinnati

The big questions

SchoolsCBehind 70% of OH districts · 117 schools SafetyD⁻7.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than OH on 4 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$246K typical home · up 0.3% in a year Work & commuteC⁻$53K median household income · 224,701 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺132 mi of trails · 17% conserved land PlacesAttractions77 nearby · Paycor Stadium under 1 mi LibraryB⁺Clifton CollegesAthenaeum of Ohio, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1788 · 293 on the National Register Famous people31 born in Cincinnati Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 55 residents Climate87° summer highs · 16″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 45201, 45202, 45203 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

18 within 15 miles of the center of Cincinnati

University of CincinnatiUniversity or college · Public · CincinnatiIn town$13,976 in-state tuition Athenaeum of OhioUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · CincinnatiIn town Gateway Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Florence, KY14.2 mi$4,728 in-state tuition

About 11 of every 100 Cincinnati residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

132 miles of trails in Cincinnati

17.2% of the town is conserved land, across 184 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Cincinnati

ConservedTrails

Mount Airy Forest29.5 mi of trails · 1,412 acres

Directions

Ault Park7.7 mi of trails · 221 acres

Directions

California Woods Nature Preserve3.4 mi of trails · 161 acres

Directions

Landmarks

293 places in Cincinnati on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

George Hunt Pendleton HouseBuilt 1870 · National Historic Landmark

William Howard Taft National Historic SiteBuilt 1969 · National Historic Landmark

Cincinnati Music HallNational Historic Landmark

Cincinnati Union TerminalBuilt 1933 · National Historic Landmark

Famous people from Cincinnati

31 notable people were born in Cincinnati.

See all 31 →

Steven SpielbergAmerican filmmaker · born 1946

William Howard Taft27th President of the United States from 1909 to 1913 · 1857–1930

Doris DayAmerican actress and singer · 1922–2019

IShowSpeedAmerican influencer, musician and online streamer · born 2005

Thomas KuhnAmerican historian, physicist and philosopher · 1922–1996

Ted TurnerAmerican media mogul · 1938–2026

About Cincinnati

City in Ohio, United States

Official town website ↗

Cincinnati ( SIN-sin-AT-ee; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is the most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line with Kentucky. It is the third-most populous city in Ohio (after Columbus and Cleveland), and the 66th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 309,317 at the 2020 census. Cincinnati serves as the economic and cultural hub of the tri-state Cincinnati metropolitan area, Ohio's most populous metropolitan area and the nation's 30th-largest, at over 2.3 million residents. Throughout much of th…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1788
Area: 79 sq mi
Elevation: 482 ft
ZIP code: 45201, 45202, 45203
Area code: 513

Cincinnati’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Cincinnati.

Explore the map →

All 7 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D; Columbia Township (C) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	OH rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Cincinnati	#957	D	C⁺	D⁻	C	C
Anderson Township	#94	A	C⁻	—	A	A⁻
Delhi Township	#167	A⁻	B⁺	B⁻	B⁺	B
Columbia Township	#825	C	C⁻	—	C	A⁻
Springfield Township	#814	C	C⁺	B⁻	C	C
Green Township	#285	B⁺	B	B⁻	B	B⁺
Miami Township	#428	B	B⁻	—	A⁻	B⁺
Finneytown	#631	B⁻	C⁺	—	C⁺	B

Anderson Township, Columbia Township, Miami Township and Finneytown report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Cincinnati with a neighbor →

Questions about Cincinnati

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Cincinnati, OH a good place to live?

Cincinnati grades D overall, better than 11% of U.S. towns and #957 of 987 in Ohio. It grades C for health, D− for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Cincinnati, OH expensive?

That is 3 years of the area's median household income ($81,120 across the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.

What is Cincinnati, OH known for?

31 notable people were born here, including Steven Spielberg and William Howard Taft.

Post to Cincinnati

Check your email

CincinnatiOH

Is Cincinnati a good place to live?

What makes Cincinnati stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

238 years in pictures

How Cincinnati grades

Paycor Stadium and 51 more within 40 miles

Moving to Cincinnati: who provides what

The data

Trail density in Cincinnati is higher than in most of Ohio or the rest of the country

Public schools in Cincinnati fall behind 70% of Ohio districts

For safety, Cincinnati earns a D−

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

More of Cincinnati’s working residents work locally than in the typical Ohio or U.S. town

Where working residents work

Cincinnati faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

On CDC estimates, Cincinnati is less healthy than 69% of U.S. towns

Four seasons and pleasant summers in Cincinnati

Typical low → high °F

A typical Cincinnati home is worth about $246K

Typical home value

Everything we know about Cincinnati

Colleges nearby

132 miles of trails in Cincinnati

Landmarks

Famous people from Cincinnati

About Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s neighbors

Questions about Cincinnati