The average annual cost of car insurance nationwide was $815 in 2012 — the most recent data available, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Ohio motorists pay on average $546 a year, according to insuranceQuotes.com
Motorists in Montgomery and Greene counties pay on average $517 a year, 5 percent less than the state average. Warren County drivers pay 4 percent less, according to insuranceQuotes.com
Mahoning County (12 percent above the Ohio average) has the most expensive car insurance in the state and Hancock County (17 percent below the Ohio average) has the cheapest.
An abundance of rural areas in Ohio helps keep insurance costs lower due to lower crime rates and fewer accidents, according to Mike Barry, spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute.
That coincides with what drivers in Miami and Darke counties pay on average for car insurance. Drivers there pay 11 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
States with a higher cost of living will also most likely have a higher cost for things like medical care and auto mechanics – and insurers will price their policies accordingly, Barry said in a release.