The Town FilesFort McKinley, Ohio
Community in Montgomery County · population 3,473 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $59,900
- Household income
- $45,687
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 27.7
Fort McKinley is a community of 3,473 people in Montgomery County, Ohio. The median home is worth $59,900, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of Ohio towns, hipper than 94% of Ohio towns, better transit than 90% of Ohio towns.
- #1 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Ohio
- #1 in 25 Small Towns in Ohio With the Cheapest Homes
- #32 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #37 in 50 Places in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #47 in The 50 Most Affordable Small Towns in America
- #50 in The 50 Most Affordable Places in America
How Fort McKinley ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fort McKinley is worth $59,900, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $45,687, which is more affordable than 100% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $1,049 a month. 63.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort McKinley | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $59,900 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $1,049 | $914 |
| Median household income | $45,687 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 63.8% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fort McKinley
| People | Fort McKinley | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 90.9% |
Weather in Fort McKinley
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 20.1°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort McKinley since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on May 27, 2019 about 1.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 174 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 71 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 20, 1967.
Severe weather in Montgomery County since 1996
Montgomery County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2019 | Tornado | DR-4447: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| October 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1805: Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
Jobs and pay in Montgomery County
Montgomery County had 250,085 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,439 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Fort McKinley itself the ACS puts it at 10.2%.
Towns near Fort McKinley
- Shiloh, OH1.1 mi · 10,952 people · home $126,800
- Dayton, OH2.8 mi · 137,644 people · home $100,600
- Trotwood, OH4.1 mi · 23,070 people · home $113,200
- Englewood, OH5.5 mi · 13,463 people · home $182,800
- Vandalia, OH6.0 mi · 15,209 people · home $197,000
- Clayton, OH6.3 mi · 13,310 people · home $208,200
- Riverside, OH6.6 mi · 24,474 people · home $147,800
- Oakwood, OH6.9 mi · 9,572 people · home $370,100
Fort McKinley questions
Is Fort McKinley, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort McKinley scores better for retirees than 0% of Ohio towns and quieter than 2%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.7).
How much does a house cost in Fort McKinley?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort McKinley is valued at $59,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,687, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $1,049 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort McKinley?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 20.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.6 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does Fort McKinley get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort McKinley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on May 27, 2019. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)