State desk
Ranks 22nd of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Ohio stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 20 Ohio outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Ohio in red. Free to cite with attribution.
No permit required to carry a concealed handgun since 2022; optional licenses remain available for reciprocity.
Ohio is 1 of 29 states with this rule
15 · Shall-Issue Permit6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Ohio taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 2.75 percent, ranking 39 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Ohio is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Ohio charges 38.50 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 14 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 56.90 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 47.00 cents.
Ohio is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Retains the death penalty; governor announced in 2020 that no executions would proceed during his tenure.
Ohio is 1 of 4 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty23 · Abolished
Not a right-to-work state; a 1958 RTW ballot measure was rejected by voters.
Ohio is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $11.00, above the federal $7.25 floor.
Ohio is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters must show an accepted photo ID; without one, a provisional ballot counts only if they verify identity within days.
Ohio is 1 of 10 states with this rule
14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)14 · No Document Required
EdChoice Expansion voucher opened to all income levels in 2023 on a sliding award scale.
Ohio is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Limited Program17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL lists Ohio among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Ohio is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without giving a reason.
Ohio is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Ohio's unemployment rate was 3.4% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, up 0.1 percentage points from 3.3% in August. It ranks 14th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 13th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.3%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Ohio is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court