CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

40.38° N · 82.50° W · GEOID 3973530

South Mount Vernon

Knox County, Ohio · part of the Mount Vernon, OH metro

Limited data population under 5,000

OhioSouth Mount Vernon, OHSouth Mount VernonSouth Mount Vernon

The short answer

South Mount Vernon is home to 589 people. Median household income is $59,018 a year and median rent is $1,109 a month, 22.5% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $65,000, about 1.1x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,109
19% below the median place
Median household income
$59,018
26% below the median place
Median home value
$65,000
80% below the median place
Unemployment
2.5%
49% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about South Mount Vernon

  • Between the 2020 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 30.4% a year while rent rose 8.4%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 290 Ohio places.
  • The median home is worth 1.1 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 290 Ohio places.
  • Only 0% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 273 Ohio places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 207 Ohio places.
  • Half the homes were built before 1938, older housing than in 97% of places its size. It is the lowest of 290 Ohio places.
01

Moving to South Mount Vernon

Knox County gains about 1.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in2,451
Moved out2,385
Net+66

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Ohio, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within OhioOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$68K
Leavers$60K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Knox County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
0.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Knox County report $68,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $60,400, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$44,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,109 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,512 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $65,000.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 0.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Los Fresnos, TX matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
0.0%
below the median place (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving out6
$60,419
14% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year10.0%below (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure1.3above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$68,1633% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$60,41914% below
02

What it costs to live here

Median year built is 1938, 2% below the median place.

South Mount Vernon22.5%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$44,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.5%
10% above the median place
Home price to income
1.1x
71% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
23%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$45,700
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in South Mount Vernon, $1,109 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in South Mount Vernon.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to South Mount Vernon? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
1938
2% below the median place
Median home value1
$65,000
80% below the median place
Vacant homes1
32.0%
354% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,10919% below
Rent to income122.5%10% above
Property tax rate11.4%59% above
Home price to income11.1x71% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,13630% below
HUD area median income3County figure$95,00011% below
Property tax paid (median)1$94071% below
Median home value1$65,00080% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure4.6%45% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure61.0%19% above
Homeownership1County figure75.5%14% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure45.6%10% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$1,51219% below
Vacant homes132.0%354% above
Median year built119382% below
03

Work and pay

Works from home is 0.0%, below the median place (median 12.4%).

Works from home1
0.0%
below the median place (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
33.1%
207% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$59,01826% below
Income per person1$21,48346% below
Unemployment1County figure2.5%49% below
Average annual pay5County figure$57,79612% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.9%5% above
Jobs5County figure20,36586% below
Poverty rate133.1%207% above
Mean commute1County figure26 min3% above
Works from home10.0%below (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
High school or higher1
100.0%
8% above the median place
Median age1
27.3
30% below the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15896646th largest
Median age127.330% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure24.6%23% below
High school or higher1100.0%8% above
Household size12.45% below
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance1County figure11.3%77% above
Homes with broadband185.5%7% below
05

Life in South Mount Vernon

45 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.7 −25%
Shops24.7 −18%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.1 −49%
Doctors' offices and clinics10.1 −50%
Child care centers1.7 −26%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
10.1
50% below the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7
2.1
49% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k7
15.7
25% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools9County figure19111% above
Public school students9County figure7,43952% above
Students per teacher9County figure15.40% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure15.725% below
Shops per 10k7County figure24.718% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure2.149% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure10.150% below
Child care centers per 10k7County figure1.726% below
National Register listings8County figure45246% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Natural hazard risk is 61.0, 34% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached South Mount Vernon. Larger places are fetched first.

Natural hazard risk11
61.0
34% below the median place
Good air days12
85.3%
25% above the median place
Heat wave risk11
58.5
35% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSouth Mount VernonAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high10County figure83°F4% below
January average low10County figure19°F25% below
Average temperature10County figure51°F8% below
Annual precipitation10County figure41.6 in5% below
Natural hazard risk11County figure61.034% below
Hurricane risk11County figure40.942% below
Tornado risk11County figure64.321% below
Wildfire risk11County figure36.241% below
Heat wave risk11County figure58.535% below
Median air quality index12County figure399% below
Good air days12County figure85.3%25% above
08

South Mount Vernon in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 21% of the median income in 2030, down from 23% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,109/mo (2024)$1,450/mo$1,190 to $1,770/mo+4.6%
Median household income$59,018 (2024)$84,500$71,500 to $100,000+6.1%
Median home value$65,000 (2022)$99,000$69,000 to $144,000+5.4%

The median home would be worth 1.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.1 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like South Mount Vernon

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Los Fresnos, TX$989$61,938Compare
Cortland, NY$975$59,482Compare
Kingsville, TX$1,037$58,148Compare
Junction City, KS$1,024$61,181Compare
Junction City, KSKingsville, TXCortland, NYLos Fresnos, TXSouth Mount Vernon, OHSouth Mount VernonLos FresnosCortlandKingsvilleJunction CitySouth Mount VernonLos FresnosCortlandKingsvilleJunction City

Common questions

Is South Mount Vernon a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2020 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 30.4% a year while rent rose 8.4%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 290 Ohio places. The median home is worth 1.1 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 290 Ohio places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is South Mount Vernon expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $65,000.

What salary do you need to live in South Mount Vernon?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $44,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to South Mount Vernon?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Los Fresnos, TX, Cortland, NY, Kingsville, TX and Junction City, KS.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  9. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  10. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  11. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  12. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares South Mount Vernon with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for South Mount Vernon itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/south-mount-vernon-ohio

Citytistics. “South Mount Vernon, Ohio.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/south-mount-vernon-ohio/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.