All tools / Turnover costs / Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
Apartment turnover cost in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
A typical 2-bedroom apartment turnover in Cincinnati runs about $1,180–$3,829 (expected $2,008). That is close to the national figure of $1,960 (+2%).
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- Same scenario, nationally
- $1,960
- Ohio median
- $1,926
- Data
- BLS OEWS May 2025
What a turnover costs in Cincinnati, by unit size
Expected cost of a make-ready turn for five common unit types, under three move-out conditions. The typical column also shows the likely range.
| Unit | Light | Typical | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio1 bath | $801 | $1,438$800 to $2,878 | $3,929 |
| 1 bedroom1 bath | $801 | $1,660$961 to $3,254 | $5,037 |
| 2 bedroom1 bath | $859 | $2,008$1,180 to $3,829 | $6,312 |
| 3 bedroom2 bath | $970 | $2,500$1,489 to $4,702 | $7,885 |
| 3 bedroom house2 bath | $1,015 | $2,836$1,722 to $5,318 | $9,149 |
- LightMove-out in good shape: a few nail holes and scuffs, a dirty range and refrigerator, one bent blind.
- TypicalA full repaint, spot-treated carpet stains, a hole in an interior door, bent blinds, torn screens, dirty grout, range and refrigerator.
- HeavyPet-damaged carpet replaced, many wall holes and a full repaint, heavy-soil cleaning, odor treatment, a trash-out, a replaced door, missing keys and damaged cabinet doors (plus yard debris for the house).
Every scenario also carries the standard turn baseline: cleaning by bedroom and bathroom, HVAC filter, alarm test, bulbs, rekeying the exterior locks, a pest inspection and the final punch walk. Standard profile, property-manager vendor pricing, built in 2005, typical unit sizes assumed.
Local labor by trade
Labor is mixed in Cincinnati: 3 trades cost less than the national median and 7 cost more. The widest gap is handyman and maintenance, 15% above the national median. 3 more are within 1% of national.
Cheaper than national
- Pest control5% below
- Locksmith4% below
- Cleaning2% below
Pricier than national
- Handyman and maintenance15% above
- Flooring7% above
- Window glass4% above
Index is the local median hourly wage divided by the national median for the same occupations. Only the labor share of each price is scaled; materials are not.
| Trade | Index | Versus national median |
|---|---|---|
| Handyman and maintenancesmall repairs, blinds, alarms, final walk | 1.15 | 15% above |
| Flooringcarpet and plank installation | 1.07 | 7% above |
| Window glassglass replacement | 1.04 | 4% above |
| Appliance repairappliance repair and install | 1.02 | 2% above |
| HVACservice visits | 1.02 | 2% above |
| Paintingrepaints and touch-up | 1.02 | 2% above |
| Plumbinglicensed plumbing work | 1.02 | 2% above |
| Electricallicensed electrical work | 1.00 | same as national |
| Hauling and trash-outtrash-out and bulky items | 1.00 | same as national |
| Yard and landscapingmowing and yard cleanup | 0.99 | 1% below |
| Cleaningturn cleans and carpet cleaning | 0.98 | 2% below |
| Locksmithrekeying and keys | 0.96 | 4% below |
| Pest controlinspection and treatment | 0.95 | 5% below |
| Drywalldrywall visit charges | 0.94 | 6% below * |
* Does not scale any task price. It only sets the visit minimum, so it is left out of the comparisons above.
Unit prices for common make-ready tasks in Cincinnati
What one unit of each task costs here, before any vendor visit minimum. Materials are included.
| Task | Low | Expected | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repaint all wallsper floor sq ft | $0.56 | $0.86 | $1.42 |
| Carpet replacement with padper sq ft | $2.32 | $3.35 | $5.16 |
| Standard turn clean, kitchen and living areasper unit | $53.96 | $78.48 | $117.72 |
| Rekey a lock cylinderper cylinder | $14.40 | $24.00 | $43.20 |
| Trash-out and haul-awayper cu yd | $30.00 | $40.00 | $60.00 |
| Drywall patch, doorknob-size holeeach | $69.00 | $126.50 | $230.00 |
| Replace window blindseach | $18.28 | $38.70 | $102.13 |
| Replace a smoke alarmeach | $22.73 | $37.57 | $88.46 |
| Replace an HVAC filtereach | $11.27 | $22.20 | $48.01 |
How Cincinnati compares
It ranks 3rd of 16 areas in Ohio by cost (1 is the most expensive). A typical 2-bedroom turn there ranges from $1,858 in Southern Ohio to $2,074 in Akron, with a median of $1,926. Cincinnati is 4% above it. Nationally the same scenario comes to $1,960.
| Area | Typical 2 bedroom | Versus national |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | $2,074 | +6% |
| Springfield | $2,046 | +4% |
| Cincinnati | $2,008 | +2% |
| Columbus | $2,001 | +2% |
| Toledo | $1,963 | same |
| West Northwestern Ohiononmetropolitan area | $1,939 | -1% |
| Cleveland | $1,936 | -1% |
| 8 more areas not shown | ||
| Southern Ohiononmetropolitan area | $1,858 | -5% |
| National figure | $1,960 | baseline |
Typical 2-bedroom turn, expected cost. Areas are ordered from most to least expensive within the state.
Notes for Cincinnati
- Older buildings. Rental units built before 1978 need lead-safe work practices when paint is disturbed (EPA RRP). For the typical 2-bedroom scenario that adds about $1,122 in Cincinnati, taking the expected total from $2,008 to $3,130. Enter the year built in the estimator to include it.
- ZIP codes. The estimator maps ZIP prefixes 410xx, 450xx, 452xx, 470xx to this area. ZIP lookup works at the 3-digit level, so a ZIP at the edge of Cincinnati may be priced at a neighbouring area.
- Price level. Figures assume a property manager buying turns from local vendors (the estimator's default). A one-off owner hiring a single contractor typically pays more; a portfolio contract pays less.
Method and data
Every figure was computed by the same engine behind the free estimator and the API (ruleset pt-2026.10.3). National unit prices from published cost guides and bids are scaled by the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics wage index for the Cincinnati metro area (OEWS May 2025). These are estimate ranges for budgeting, not quotes (read the disclaimer). How the estimate works.
We keep an anonymized record of estimates (ZIP3, unit size, findings and totals; never your notes, address, IP or contact details) to improve accuracy.
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