Like all states, Ohio has certain places that are going on hard times. These Ohio places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Ohio.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 248 cities in Ohio with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Ohio For 2026:
What’s the poorest city in Ohio? According to the facts, East Cleveland is the poorest place in Ohio for 2026.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Ohio
- Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
- Most Dangerous Cities In Ohio
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Ohio For 2026
1. East Cleveland
/10
Population: 13,534
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Income: $22,116 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 40.7% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 5,505
More on East Cleveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
East Cleveland, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Ohio thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 13,534 people averages the lowest median household income in Ohio and the 2nd highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Youngstown
/10
Population: 59,331
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Median Income: $34,408 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 37.3% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 22,124
More on Youngstown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The second poorest city in Ohio is Youngstown.
The city ranks as having the 4th highest incidence of poverty and 3rd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 8th highest in the Buckeye State.
3. Portsmouth
/10
Population: 17,728
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Median Income: $34,713 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 35.4% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 6,277
More on Portsmouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Placing as the third poorest city, Portsmouth’s median income ranks as the 4th lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 35.41% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Buckeye State.
4. East Liverpool
/10
Population: 9,783
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 5)
Median Income: $34,009 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.9% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,215
More on East Liverpool: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
East Liverpool ranks as the fourth poorest place in Ohio.
The town ranks as having the 2nd lowest median household income and the 7th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Oxford
/10
Population: 21,753
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 1)
Median Income: $40,764 (8th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 45.5% (highest)
People In Poverty: 9,886
More on Oxford: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The fifth poorest city in Ohio is Oxford.
The city ranks as having the 8th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the highest in Ohio.
Still not the best news for Oxford.
6. Athens
/10
Population: 23,396
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 2)
Median Income: $38,204 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 40.0% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 9,349
More on Athens: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Athens ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Buckeye State.
It ranks as having the 3rd highest incidence of poverty and the 25th highest unemployment rate.
7. Martins Ferry
/10
Population: 6,140
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 7)
Median Income: $37,467 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 34.3% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,104
More on Martins Ferry: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Martins Ferry places as the seventh poorest city in Ohio.
The city of over 6,140 ranks as having the 6th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Warren
/10
Population: 38,912
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 3)
Median Income: $37,887 (6th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.9% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 12,424
More on Warren: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Warren ranks as the eighth poorest city in Ohio.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Cleveland
/10
Population: 366,097
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Income: $40,801 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 30.6% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 111,989
More on Cleveland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Cleveland couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Ohio; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 9th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Cleveland ranks as having the 10th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Ohio.
10. Campbell
/10
Population: 7,784
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Income: $42,909 (11th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.1% (9th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,417
More on Campbell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Ohio is Campbell.
The city of 7,784 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Buckeye State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Ohio for 2026
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 248 places with more than 5,000 people in Ohio, we ranked each place from 1 to 248 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, East Cleveland, crowned the “Poorest Place In Ohio For 2026”.
This report has been updated for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the poorest places in Ohio.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Ohio For 2026
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Ohio, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Ohio.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in Ohio, according to data:
-
Richest: New Albany
2nd Richest: Powell
3rd Richest: Pepper Pike
For more Ohio reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Ohio
- Safest Places In Ohio
- Worst Places To Live In Ohio
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Ohio
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Ohio
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Cleveland | 13,534 | 40.7% | $22,116 | 5,505 |
| 2 | Youngstown | 59,331 | 37.3% | $34,408 | 22,124 |
| 3 | Portsmouth | 17,728 | 35.4% | $34,713 | 6,277 |
| 4 | East Liverpool | 9,783 | 32.9% | $34,009 | 3,215 |
| 5 | Oxford | 21,753 | 45.5% | $40,764 | 9,886 |
| 6 | Athens | 23,396 | 40.0% | $38,204 | 9,349 |
| 7 | Martins Ferry | 6,140 | 34.3% | $37,467 | 2,104 |
| 8 | Warren | 38,912 | 31.9% | $37,887 | 12,424 |
| 9 | Cleveland | 366,097 | 30.6% | $40,801 | 111,989 |
| 10 | Campbell | 7,784 | 31.1% | $42,909 | 2,417 |
| 11 | Cambridge | 10,060 | 27.9% | $42,946 | 2,802 |
| 12 | Ashtabula | 17,856 | 29.8% | $44,120 | 5,315 |
| 13 | Canton | 69,755 | 27.4% | $43,188 | 19,084 |
| 14 | Uhrichsville | 5,189 | 26.0% | $41,846 | 1,349 |
| 15 | Kent | 27,116 | 27.1% | $42,964 | 7,340 |
| 16 | Bowling Green | 29,983 | 28.6% | $45,154 | 8,581 |
| 17 | Dayton | 136,579 | 26.9% | $45,247 | 36,780 |
| 18 | Zanesville | 24,740 | 24.1% | $43,280 | 5,964 |
| 19 | Steubenville | 18,124 | 26.6% | $48,172 | 4,820 |
| 20 | Lima | 35,010 | 23.9% | $46,240 | 8,384 |
| 21 | Mansfield | 47,663 | 23.5% | $44,540 | 11,200 |
| 22 | Coshocton | 11,068 | 25.9% | $48,731 | 2,865 |
| 23 | Lorain | 65,395 | 25.2% | $48,685 | 16,505 |
| 24 | Ironton | 10,768 | 23.7% | $47,648 | 2,556 |
| 25 | Fremont | 15,835 | 22.7% | $47,024 | 3,589 |
| 26 | Springfield | 58,190 | 23.1% | $47,143 | 13,418 |
| 27 | Sandusky | 24,606 | 25.6% | $50,139 | 6,291 |
| 28 | Toledo | 267,463 | 24.3% | $49,724 | 65,100 |
| 29 | Akron | 189,247 | 23.3% | $48,076 | 44,170 |
| 30 | Painesville | 20,548 | 25.6% | $51,516 | 5,268 |
| 31 | Marion | 35,669 | 22.4% | $47,951 | 7,996 |
| 32 | Salem | 11,758 | 21.3% | $47,073 | 2,503 |
| 33 | Moraine | 6,536 | 22.8% | $48,788 | 1,492 |
| 34 | Cincinnati | 311,224 | 25.5% | $52,909 | 79,268 |
| 35 | Maple Heights | 23,258 | 25.4% | $53,414 | 5,907 |
| 36 | Warrensville Heights | 13,545 | 21.4% | $49,669 | 2,901 |
| 37 | Marietta | 13,203 | 19.1% | $47,873 | 2,523 |
| 38 | Trotwood | 23,041 | 21.5% | $50,113 | 4,944 |
| 39 | Cheviot | 8,660 | 22.6% | $53,132 | 1,955 |
| 40 | Logan | 6,993 | 27.3% | $57,882 | 1,908 |
| 41 | Girard | 9,505 | 20.0% | $52,550 | 1,898 |
| 42 | Mount Vernon | 17,052 | 21.9% | $53,845 | 3,732 |
| 43 | Wellston | 5,452 | 25.0% | $56,193 | 1,362 |
| 44 | Bryan | 8,631 | 19.0% | $52,865 | 1,642 |
| 45 | Alliance | 21,478 | 23.8% | $56,106 | 5,111 |
| 46 | Garfield Heights | 29,269 | 22.0% | $54,593 | 6,430 |
| 47 | Mount Healthy | 6,919 | 21.0% | $54,565 | 1,455 |
| 48 | Hillsboro | 6,527 | 21.7% | $55,521 | 1,415 |
| 49 | Jackson | 6,231 | 18.7% | $53,538 | 1,163 |
| 50 | Bellevue | 8,187 | 18.9% | $53,875 | 1,550 |
| 51 | Euclid | 48,823 | 16.6% | $50,285 | 8,119 |
| 52 | Willard | 6,164 | 18.5% | $53,542 | 1,138 |
| 53 | Hamilton | 63,468 | 19.6% | $55,166 | 12,458 |
| 54 | Niles | 18,287 | 16.2% | $50,953 | 2,958 |
| 55 | Whitehall | 20,019 | 16.4% | $51,759 | 3,285 |
| 56 | Greenville | 12,741 | 14.2% | $47,237 | 1,805 |
| 57 | Franklin | 11,712 | 22.5% | $58,587 | 2,636 |
| 58 | Chillicothe | 21,902 | 17.4% | $54,086 | 3,817 |
| 59 | Geneva | 5,886 | 17.1% | $53,557 | 1,004 |
| 60 | Barberton | 24,844 | 15.6% | $52,267 | 3,880 |
| 61 | Kenton | 7,663 | 18.6% | $56,033 | 1,423 |
| 62 | Galion | 10,339 | 15.2% | $52,176 | 1,571 |
| 63 | Xenia | 25,689 | 17.9% | $56,029 | 4,598 |
| 64 | Washington Court House | 14,439 | 17.7% | $55,998 | 2,558 |
| 65 | Fostoria | 12,344 | 16.4% | $54,151 | 2,028 |
| 66 | Elyria | 53,035 | 16.7% | $54,945 | 8,872 |
| 67 | Ravenna | 11,274 | 19.1% | $59,971 | 2,154 |
| 68 | Eaton | 8,339 | 14.1% | $51,467 | 1,172 |
| 69 | Struthers | 9,923 | 15.0% | $53,447 | 1,485 |
| 70 | Wilmington | 12,620 | 17.5% | $57,199 | 2,203 |
| 71 | Bellefontaine | 13,807 | 18.1% | $58,806 | 2,501 |
| 72 | Circleville | 14,142 | 18.9% | $60,296 | 2,675 |
| 73 | Belpre | 6,654 | 15.8% | $54,592 | 1,051 |
| 74 | Bedford Heights | 10,847 | 12.7% | $50,269 | 1,374 |
| 75 | Middletown | 51,617 | 17.1% | $57,102 | 8,836 |
| 76 | Bucyrus | 11,594 | 14.9% | $54,349 | 1,729 |
| 77 | Conneaut | 12,357 | 19.4% | $61,741 | 2,400 |
| 78 | Toronto | 5,293 | 15.2% | $55,972 | 806 |
| 79 | Port Clinton | 5,970 | 17.5% | $60,909 | 1,042 |
| 80 | Van Wert | 10,790 | 14.2% | $55,113 | 1,533 |
| 81 | Ashland | 18,911 | 16.6% | $60,029 | 3,131 |
| 82 | North College Hill | 9,555 | 20.6% | $64,655 | 1,966 |
| 83 | Clyde | 6,331 | 11.3% | $50,574 | 712 |
| 84 | New Philadelphia | 17,520 | 15.9% | $58,547 | 2,792 |
| 85 | Tiffin | 17,818 | 14.8% | $56,198 | 2,628 |
| 86 | New Carlisle | 5,544 | 18.7% | $64,443 | 1,037 |
| 87 | Norwalk | 17,095 | 16.3% | $60,844 | 2,793 |
| 88 | Newark | 50,783 | 17.1% | $61,670 | 8,704 |
| 89 | Massillon | 32,338 | 13.9% | $56,446 | 4,504 |
| 90 | Columbus | 914,802 | 18.1% | $66,082 | 165,853 |
| 91 | West Carrollton | 12,976 | 16.0% | $61,619 | 2,073 |
| 92 | Riverside | 24,435 | 15.3% | $61,352 | 3,748 |
| 93 | Bedford | 12,931 | 13.7% | $57,308 | 1,765 |
| 94 | Piqua | 20,646 | 17.6% | $67,796 | 3,629 |
| 95 | Sidney | 20,501 | 14.2% | $60,668 | 2,904 |
| 96 | Rittman | 6,044 | 14.0% | $60,154 | 848 |
| 97 | Shelby | 8,865 | 13.2% | $58,351 | 1,171 |
| 98 | Defiance | 17,276 | 14.8% | $61,439 | 2,548 |
| 99 | Lancaster | 41,249 | 12.6% | $59,133 | 5,184 |
| 100 | Parma Heights | 20,581 | 13.9% | $61,009 | 2,856 |