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Cleveland, OH

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cleveland, OH is $1,279 per month, ranking #316 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $68,507, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 22.4% of income on housing. The area has a population of 2.2M, with 33.9% of households renting.

22.4%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,279
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$68,507
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$996
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
2.2M
Population
Census ACS
33.9%
Renters
of occupied housing
$201,000
Median Home Value
8.8%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
13.6%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$933
Studio
$1,058
1 Bedroom
$1,279
2 Bedroom
$1,646
3 Bedroom
$1,760
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Cleveland, OH, a household earning the area median income of $68,507 would spend 22.4% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$51,160
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$25
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$996
$283 below FMR

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.65/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 92.4 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Cleveland is 13.6%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$10.65/hr
Hours/Week Needed
92.4 hrs
Poverty Rate
13.6%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Cleveland is $201,000. At a median income of $68,507, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.9x. 8.8% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,407 est. mortgage
vs $1,279 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
8.8%
of housing units

Other Areas in Ohio

Union County
$1,433/mo
2BR FMR · 15.7% burden
Columbus
$1,430/mo
2BR FMR · 21.5% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
$1,273/mo
2BR FMR · 21.9% burden
Akron
$1,268/mo
2BR FMR · 21.3% burden

Compare Cleveland

vs Union County, OHvs Columbus, OHvs Cincinnati, OH

Areas With Similar Rent to Cleveland

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cleveland, OH is $1,279 per month. A studio is $933/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,058/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,646/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $996/mo.

Cleveland has a rent burden of 22.4%, meaning a household earning the median income of $68,507 would spend 22.4% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $51,160.

Cleveland's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,279/mo is $29 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Cleveland ranks #316 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Cleveland without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $51,160, or a full-time hourly wage of $25/hour. The area median income is $68,507.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.