What it's like to live in Montgomery
Montgomery 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. Montgomery deals with home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
How Montgomery compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Montgomery
Based on Montgomery's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,210
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,200 a year
- 43% of Montgomery renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$109,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $54,510
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 14% above US
$1,605/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,605 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $545,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $545,100 · 43% 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▼ 78% below US
73 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 510/100k · Montgomery Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 18% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% 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
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 104% above US
74% 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 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is William Howard Taft National Historic Site (12 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Montgomery's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,605/mo) equals 13% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Montgomery
All Ohio guides →Moving to Blue Ash →
2 mi away · pop. 13,455
Rent $1,555/mo · Income $115,313
Compare with Montgomery →Moving to Sharonville →
4 mi away · pop. 14,030
Rent $1,171/mo · Income $74,649
Compare with Montgomery →Not sure Montgomery is the one?
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