Springfield vs Toledo

Which is the better fit for you?

Springfield, OH
53
Area Score
Bottom 30% nationally
Toledo, OH
52
Area Score
Bottom 27% nationally

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Springfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from Springfield to Toledo

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Everyday prices
2% higher
Regional price level 90.6 against 88.7 (US = 100)
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
−$30 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $1,076 in Toledo against $1,106 in Springfield.
The median home
2% less
$114,500 in Toledo against $116,800 in Springfield.
The weather you would swap
Winters 2°F colder
Normal January lows are 20°F in Toledo against 22°F in Springfield; July highs are 85°F against 86°F (summers 1°F cooler).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

35 occupations have a published median wage in both places. Start typing, or choose from the list.

Median wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ metro figures for that occupation, not a job offer, and the price level is the regional index; neither includes taxes, benefits or how senior you are.

Signals

Springfield
Toledo
Opportunity: Toledo is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs
39 · Bottom 16%
Growth: Springfield is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
32 · Bottom 17%
vs
23 · Bottom 7%
Climate: Springfield is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs
63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience: Toledo is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs
87 · Top 15%
Housing affordability: Springfield is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
77 · Top 20%
vs
76 · Top 22%
Schools: Springfield is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
17 · Bottom 8%
vs
13 · Bottom 6%
Access: Toledo is the more favorable of the two.
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs
98 · Top 23%
Economic stability: Toledo is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 6%
vs
30 · Bottom 9%

Measured values

MetricSpringfieldToledoSource period
Population58,190267,4632024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income — the two are too close to separate$47,143 ±$2,846$49,724 ±$9932024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$27,034$28,642 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density2,184/sq mi3,323/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$116,800$114,5002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$851 — more favorable$9012024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$1,106$1,076 — more favorableFY2026
Cost of living index88.7 — more favorable90.62023
Homeownership rate52.4%53.3%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.3% — more favorable4.8%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)−0.8%+0.2% — more favorableJuly 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher16.7%21.9% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate — the two are too close to separate22.5% ±2%23.2% ±1%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)903412 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents1.5 — more favorable0.112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−2.2%+21.4%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high86°F85°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low22°F20°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation41.3"32.4"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport23 mi13 mi — more favorableNASR current cycle
Average commute22.8 min21.3 min — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age37.935.82024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools27942024-25 school year
Students per teacher16.016.02024-25 school year
Math proficiency43.6% — more favorable37.8%2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency51.1% — more favorable43.8%2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility55.3%59.7%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.

2 rows above show both figures with a ± margin and neither in bold. Those come from the American Community Survey, which samples rather than counts, and the gap between the two is smaller than the uncertainty on the figures themselves — so the survey did not find a difference to report, and calling either one the winner would be reading a result out of noise.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

Springfield
—
Springfield: Your Score
53
Area Score
Toledo
—
Toledo: Your Score
52
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Springfield, OH · Toledo, OH · How this is calculated: methodology