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Highland County, Ohio Demographics 2026

Highland County, Ohio has a population of 43,403, the 56th most populous county in Ohio. The median household income is $62,008 and the median home value is $157,000. The poverty rate is 14.4%.

Highland County Quick Facts

Population 43,403
Median Household Income $62,008
Median Home Value $157,000
Poverty Rate 14.4%
Unemployment Rate 4.0%
Median Age 40.8 years
Homeownership Rate 73.3%
Affordability Ratio 2.5x
Bachelor's Degree+ 15.6%
High School Graduation 86.9%
Cities/Places 9
Population 43,403 56th of 88
Median Income $62,008 11% lower than state
Poverty Rate 14.4%
Unemployment 4.0%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.4%
$25K-$50K 20.1%
$50K-$100K 34.5%
$100K+ 25.9%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.7%
$10K-$15K
4.7%
$15K-$20K
5.3%
$20K-$25K
4.8%
$25K-$30K
4.2%
$30K-$35K
3.4%
$35K-$40K
3.7%
$40K-$45K
4.0%
$45K-$50K
4.8%
$50K-$60K
8.6%
$60K-$75K
13.4%
$75K-$100K
12.5%
$100K-$125K
10.9%
$125K-$150K
6.4%
$150K-$200K
5.5%
$200K+
3.1%

Employment

4.0% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%
59.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.3%
Renter 26.7%
Affordability Index Very Affordable
2.5x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

10out of 100
Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 40 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Highland County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Hillsboro6,539$45,19721.9%$136,900
Lynchburg1,408$61,09411.6%$160,900
Leesburg1,188$69,2718.8%$136,900
Highland Holiday1,004$48,98838.5%$66,400
Rocky Fork Point868$35,23435.1%$101,000
Mowrystown522$73,83334.5%$81,800
Buford488$83,7500.0%$152,900
Sinking Spring426$105,3688.0%$129,400
Highland165$38,75017.6%$95,000

Population Overview

Highland County is located in Ohio with a total population of 43,403. It is the 56th most populous county out of 88 in Ohio. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Highland County is 40.8 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Highland County is $62,008. This is 11% lower than the state median of $69,680. It is also 21% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 14.4%. This is 9% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $157,000. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $199,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Highland County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 67.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Highland County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.6% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.2%. The Black or African American population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 12.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.4%.

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 30.9%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Highland County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Ohio and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Highland County, Ohio?

Highland County has a population of 43,403, making it the 56th most populous county in Ohio.

What is the median income in Highland County?

The median household income in Highland County is $62,008 with a poverty rate of 14.4%.

How many cities are in Highland County, Ohio?

Highland County contains 9 Census-designated places.