What it's like to live in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Mount Vernon deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 42" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Mount Vernon compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Mount Vernon
Based on Mount Vernon's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,896
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,920 a year
- 43% of Mount Vernon renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$34,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $17,400
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 33% below US
$948/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $948 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $174,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $174,000 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Knox County is 4.5%, 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.
Knox County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 42% below US
190 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 856/100k · Mount Vernon Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 29% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. 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▼ 35% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is First Ladies National Historic Site (64 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Mount Vernon's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($948/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Mount Vernon
All Ohio guides →Moving to New Albany →
26 mi away · pop. 10,896
Rent $2,355/mo · Income $238,250
Compare with Mount Vernon →Moving to Mansfield →
26 mi away · pop. 47,663
Rent $814/mo · Income $44,540
Compare with Mount Vernon →Not sure Mount Vernon is the one?
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