What it's like to live in Blue Ash
Blue Ash is a small city in Ohio with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Blue Ash deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
How Blue Ash compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Blue Ash
Based on Blue Ash's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,110
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,200 a year
- 33% of Blue Ash renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$80,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,320
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 10% above US
$1,555/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,555 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $403,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $403,200 · 33% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Hamilton County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Hamilton County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 56% below US
146 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2012/100k · Blue Ash Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 23% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 86% above US
67% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is William Howard Taft National Historic Site (11 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Blue Ash's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,555/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (23% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Blue Ash
All Ohio guides →Not sure Blue Ash is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.