Study shows two local counties have high ‘purchasing power’

Those living in Warren and Greene counties might be getting the most bang for their buck in the Dayton area when it comes to cost of living.

According to a recent study by SmartAsset, a financial technology company, Warren and Greene counties are among the top 10 Ohio counties with the most “purchasing power.”

Warren County placed second on the list, while Greene County placed ninth.

David Young, Warren County commissioner, believes that a combination of factors likely play into his county’s high “purchasing power.”

“We try to keep taxes low,” Young said. “And we have not suffered an explosion in real estate values, as some other counties have.”

Young also mentioned how Warren County homes are located just outside of Cincinnati, a major metropolitan area, and Warren County is the second-wealthiest in the state.

Nationally, Warren and Greene counties ranked 21st and 209th, respectively. Delaware County, which includes parts of Columbus and some neighboring suburbs, ranked first in Ohio and third in the nation.

Preble County placed 24th in the state. Miami County was 40th and Montgomery County ranked 62nd out of the 88 counties in the state.

SmartAsset aimed to “find the places where average living expenses are most affordable to the people who live there.”

“The study compares median income and cost of living data nationwide to find the counties where people hold the most purchasing power,” said SmartAsset’s Steve Sabato.

To calculate a county’s purchasing power SmartAsset determined cost of living factors as a percentage of median income.

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