ZIP Code · OH

ZIP 45238

Part of Cincinnati, OH

Pop. 48,351·Hamilton County·180th most expensive ZIP in Ohio

Median rent (all units)

$1,159/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.0%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$773

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 45238 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 45238 · $1,159

More affordable than 93% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$860

1 BR

$950

2 BR

$1,220

3 BR

$1,610

4 BR+

$1,780

Research median

$1,220/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in ZIP 45238 usually run 1% below trend in January and 0.8% above it in April, about $21 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 45238 is 0% below its high of $1,159 in August 2026, at $1,159 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Ohio

Rent in ZIP 45238 changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 Ohio ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.8%.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($66,277) is $1,657 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,610); a 4-bedroom is $1,780.

Rank in Cincinnati

1st cheapest of 25 ZIP codes in Cincinnati.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 45238. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$13,908/yr

At $1,159/mo median

Location

CityCincinnati

StateOH

CountyHamilton County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.0% YoY, +0.0% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 45238 (Cincinnati, OH) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 26.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

48,351

Median income

$66,277

Median age

36.7

Renters

40.3%

Age distribution

25.1%

22.5%

25.2%

12.2%

15%

Under 1825.1%

18–3422.5%

35–5425.2%

55–6412.2%

65+15%

Gender

48.7%

51.3%

Male48.7%

Female51.3%

Race & ethnicity

62.7%

27.5%

White62.7%

Black27.5%

Hispanic2.6%

Asian0.6%

Other6.6%

Education (25+)

34.2%

30.2%

26.4%

No HS diploma9.2%

HS diploma34.2%

Some college30.2%

Bachelor's+26.4%

Housing tenure

59.7%

40.3%

Owner59.7%

Renter40.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 45238 in Cincinnati, OH has changed in 5 years

Rent

$871 → $1,159

up 33.1%

Income

$56,978 → $66,277

up 16.3%

Population

48,218 → 48,351

up 0.3%

Renter share

42.2% → 40.3%

-1.9 pts

Bachelor's+

26.5% → 26.4%

-0.1 pts

Median age

35.3 → 36.7

+1.4 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 45238 in Cincinnati, OH has shifted from $871 to $1,159, up 33.1% since 2021. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $56,978 in 2021 to $66,277 more recently. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 42.2% to 40.3%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 45238 in Cincinnati, OH market of 2021.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 45238

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 45238

About renting in ZIP 45238

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 45238 covers Cincinnati, OH. The median rent here is $1,159/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $950/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,220/mo.

At 21% of local median household income ($66,277/yr), ZIP 45238 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 45238?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $46,000/year (about $22/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,159/mo in ZIP 45238. The local median household income is $66,277/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 45238?

Rent in ZIP 45238 has risen 3.0% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0% below its high of $1,159 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 45238?

Asking rents in ZIP 45238 are usually lowest in January, about 1% below their yearly trend, and highest in April, about 0.8% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $21 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 45238 compare to other ZIPs in Ohio?

ZIP 45238 is one of the more affordable among Ohio ZIP codes for rent, ranking #180 of 229 at $1,159/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 45238 changed +3.0%, against a typical +3.8% across the 190 Ohio ZIP codes Zillow tracks.