Blue Ash receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Blue Ash
Hamilton
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 13%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 21%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
83 · Top 10%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Blue Ash | Hamilton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,455 | 63,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,313 | $55,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,458 | $28,879 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,774/sq mi | 2,957/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $403,200 | $165,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,555 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.0% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.8% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 34.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 16.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 83.2% | 55.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 86.6% | 54.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 17.9% | 33.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Blue Ash
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Hamilton
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Blue Ash, OH · Hamilton, OH · How this is calculated: methodology