Local costs · Ohio
What it costs to own a home in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
The real property-tax rate, risk-adjusted insurance, and honest closing costs for Cuyahoga County — with the all-in monthly cost of the area’s median-priced home and the income it takes to carry it comfortably.
The headline numbers
US Census, ACS 2024 5-year
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The “median home” here is the Ohio statewide median owner-occupied value ($239,800, US Census ACS 2024 1-year) — no county-level median is available in our data, so it is labeled as a state figure. The all-in monthly uses the real-life basis: loan payment $1,204, property tax $400, insurance $63, maintenance $200 (1%/yr rule of thumb), and utilities $275 (a placeholder, not yet sourced). With 20% down there is no mortgage insurance.
Local risk flags
From the FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025). Covered perils show up as insurance-premium pressure; flood and earthquake are called out because a standard policy excludes them.
Severe tornado risk in this county can push premiums above the state average.
Elevated wind risk here can nudge premiums above the state average.
Notable flood risk — standard policies don't cover flood; check the address's flood zone and consider a separate policy.
Closing costs, in detail
Total transfer/recording tax $959: buyer's customary share $0, seller's customary share $959. Ohio conveyance fee (state + county): $959 (seller-paid).
- Transfer & recording tax
- On the $239,800 median home, the buyer’s customary share is about $0, with roughly $959 customarily paid by the seller. Only the buyer’s share is counted in the closing-cost estimate above.
- Title insurance & settlement
- Ohio uses competitive (filed) rates. Estimated $1,558–$2,107 on this home. Modeled title insurance + settlement (national declining-rate curve, ~0.76% of price at this level). Not a state-promulgated rate.
- Lender and origination
- $959–$1,918. Modeled as 0.5-1.0% of loan amount.
- Appraisal, inspection, and reports
- $900–$1,800. Flat buyer-paid diligence estimate.
- Prepaids and escrow
- $1,787–$2,712. Initial escrow deposit for taxes and insurance.
Frequently asked
- What is the property tax rate in Cuyahoga County, OH?
- The effective property tax rate in Cuyahoga County is 2.00% of home value per year (US Census, ACS 2024 5-year). That is higher than the Ohio average of 1.11% and higher than the national average of 0.92%.
- How much is homeowners insurance in Cuyahoga County?
- A typical homeowners policy runs about $750 per year (range $490–$1,090) at the Ohio median home value of $239,800. This is a county-adjusted estimate scaled from the NAIC state average; a real quote depends on the home and coverage.
- What are typical closing costs on a $239,800 home in Cuyahoga County?
- Estimated buyer closing costs run about $5,304–$8,937 on a $239,800 home — lender fees, title and settlement, the buyer's customary share of transfer and recording taxes, and prepaid taxes and insurance.
- What income do you need to afford the median home in Cuyahoga County?
- A household income of about $112,373 per year makes the $239,800 median home here comfortable by our math — housing under about 28% of take-home pay with room left for everyday spending, assuming 20% down at this week's 6.43% 30-year rate.
- What is the all-in monthly cost of the median home in Cuyahoga County?
- About $2,141 per month for the $239,800 median home with 20% down at 6.43% — the loan payment, property tax, home insurance, maintenance, and an estimated utilities figure.
Run your own numbers
These figures use the area median and a 20%-down example. Put in your own price, down payment, income, and debts to see whether it’s comfortable for you.
Open the calculator for Cuyahoga CountyMore counties in Ohio
Sources & vintages
- Property tax: US Census American Community Survey, county effective rate (ACS 2024 5-year).
- Home insurance: NAIC state average premium (2022 · FEMA NRI December 2025), scaled by FEMA National Risk Index covered-peril risk; range modeled.
- Median home value: US Census, Ohio statewide median owner-occupied value (ACS 2024 1-year) — used as a state-level stand-in for a county median.
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac 30-year fixed weekly average via FRED, as of 2026-07-02.
- Transfer taxes & title: researched state/local schedules; utilities and the household baseline are labeled placeholders.
Estimates, not advice, and not a Loan Estimate. Every number is computed from public data or our own math — see the methodology for how, and where the honest gaps are.