Wayne County, Ohio Demographics 2026

Name: Wayne County, Ohio Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Wayne County, Ohio has a population of 116,588, the 24th most populous county in Ohio. The median household income is $73,574 and the median home value is $222,100. The poverty rate is 9.4%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Wayne County Quick Facts

Population 116,588

Median Household Income $73,574

Median Home Value $222,100

Poverty Rate 9.4%

Unemployment Rate 3.3%

Median Age 38.9 years

Homeownership Rate 76.6%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 25.1%

High School Graduation 86.7%

Cities/Places 16

Population 116,588 24th of 88

Median Income $73,574 3% higher than state

Poverty Rate 9.4%

Unemployment 3.3%

How Wayne County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	116,618	116,588	-0.0%
Median household income	$71,769	$73,574	+2.5%
Median home value	$204,600	$222,100	+8.6%

Median Household Income

Wayne

$73,574

$71,389

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wayne

$222,100

$214,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.7%

$25K-$50K 18.8%

$50K-$100K 36.0%

$100K+ 32.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.2%

$10K-$15K

3.1%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

3.3%

$25K-$30K

3.5%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

3.3%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

8.2%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

16.7%

$100K-$125K

10.9%

$125K-$150K

7.6%

$150K-$200K

7.3%

$200K+

6.7%

Employment

3.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

61.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.6%

Renter 23.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $881/mo 14.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.0%

18-34

21.7%

35-54

22.4%

55-74

24.1%

75+

7.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Wayne County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Wooster	26,971	$66,898	9.2%	$214,200
Orrville	8,343	$72,569	15.2%	$188,900
Doylestown	3,048	$79,181	3.1%	$268,500
Dalton	1,636	$68,571	4.1%	$183,300
Shreve	1,552	$66,220	10.3%	$145,200
Smithville	1,330	$71,944	6.7%	$197,100
West Salem	1,033	$62,042	13.9%	$125,900
Apple Creek	963	$71,250	7.4%	$191,400
Marshallville	707	$59,821	6.0%	$172,300
Kidron	608	$70,227	1.6%	$201,900
Fredericksburg	452	$75,909	1.3%	$168,400
Sterling	364	$61,250	1.4%	$177,000
Burbank	334	$63,125	12.1%	$151,600
New Pittsburg	332	N/A	10.7%	$164,300
Mount Eaton	135	$81,875	3.0%	$156,700
Congress	93	$56,250	22.6%	$90,000

Explore Ohio Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Wayne County is located in Ohio with a total population of 116,588. It is the 24th most populous county out of 88 in Ohio. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wayne County is 38.9 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 39.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne County is $73,574. This is 3% higher than the state median of $71,389. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.4%. This is 29% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.3%. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $222,100. Housing costs are 3% higher than the state median of $214,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 76.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wayne County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.5%. The Black or African American population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 12.0%. The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 20% lower than the state rate of 31.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 86.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wayne County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, 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 Wayne County, Ohio?

Wayne County has a population of 116,588, making it the 24th most populous county in Ohio.

What is the median income in Wayne County?

The median household income in Wayne County is $73,574 with a poverty rate of 9.4%.

How many cities are in Wayne County, Ohio?

Wayne County contains 16 Census-designated places.