Cincinnati OH vs Fort Lauderdale FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Cincinnati, OH

Ohio · Population: 309,595

  • Median HH Income$51,707
  • Median Home Price$252,784
  • Unemployment6.8%
  • Bachelor's+41.3%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Florida · Population: 183,032

  • Median HH Income$79,935
  • Median Home Price$510,297
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+39.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Cincinnati
309,595
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Cincinnati
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Median Age
Cincinnati
33.0
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
Foreign Born
Cincinnati
7.1%
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
Fort Lauderdale +
White
Cincinnati
49.4%
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Black
Cincinnati
38.7%
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Asian
Cincinnati
2.8%
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
Hispanic
Cincinnati
5.4%
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
Fort Lauderdale +
Spanish at Home
Cincinnati
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Cincinnati
$51,707
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Fort Lauderdale +
Per Capita Income
Cincinnati
$38,878
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Fort Lauderdale +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Cincinnati
$58,300
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
Fort Lauderdale +
Unemployment Rate
Cincinnati
6.8%
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Poverty Rate
Cincinnati
24.5%
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
Bachelor's Degree+
Cincinnati
41.3%
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Cincinnati
$252,784
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Homeownership Rate
Cincinnati
38.9%
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
Fort Lauderdale +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cincinnati
319
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
324
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Cincinnati
1866
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Cincinnati
38.3%
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Cincinnati
14.1%
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Cincinnati
19.8%
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Cincinnati
9.6%
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Cincinnati
17.0%
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Fort Lauderdale +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Cincinnati
16.1%
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
Fort Lauderdale +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cincinnati
54.2°F
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Cincinnati
47.7 in
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Cincinnati
10.3 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Cincinnati
55.0%
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
Fort Lauderdale +

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Cincinnati
24.8 min
Cincinnati +
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min

Which City is Right for You?

Fort Lauderdale leads in median household income at $79,935, while cincinnati offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $252,784. On public safety, Cincinnati is safer with a violent crime rate of 319 per 100,000 residents, compared to 324 in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Fort Lauderdale scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.3%.

Compare More Cities

About Cincinnati & Fort Lauderdale