Mercer County, Ohio Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Mercer County, OH Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 87% of counties in Ohio
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 90% of counties in Ohio
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,484 | 11,799,428 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 89.7 | 263.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.48% | 0.23% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.2 | 38.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 16,408 | 4,857,236 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Mercer County grew by 4.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 42,484 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Mercer County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.1% of residents. That is about the same share as Ohio.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,444 19.9% -1.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,909 18.6% -2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,543 20.1% on par
- Boomers 61–79 7,669 18.1% on par
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Ohio, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.2% of the people living in Mercer County and men 50.8%.
- Women 49.2% Ohio 50.8%
- Men 50.8% Ohio 49.2%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Mercer County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Mercer County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,000 | $71,509 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.27% | 4.38% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Mercer County is about 8% higher than in Ohio.
Housing
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $142,672 | $139,044 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $804 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 67.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Mercer County is about 14.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $804 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Mercer County spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 133 hours, about 5.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.0 | 21.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.0 | 42.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 133 | 176 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,128 | $5,447 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,055 | 8,648 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 751 | 1,212 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Ohio:
Hancock County (15.3 min), Van Wert County (15.5 min), Mercer County (16.0 min).
Slowest:
Morgan County (32.5 min), Vinton County (32.0 min), Brown County (32.0 min).
The average commute time in Mercer County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Ohio.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Mercer County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 28.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.56 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Ohio:
Delaware County (0.4), Warren County (0.4), Greene County (0.3).
Lowest:
Holmes County (0.1), Vinton County (0.2), Noble County (0.2).
Health
Mercer County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Mercer County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.9 | 77.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.7% | 17.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.6% | 24.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Ohio:
Delaware County (0.8), Union County (0.8), Warren County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Holmes County (0.8), Scioto County (0.8).
Mercer County, OH Compared With Nearby Counties
Mercer County, OH is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 42,484 residents against a local median of 36,227. Where Mercer County, OH breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 69% above the local median of $84,445 at $142,672.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $77,000 against a local median of $65,374, 18% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 18% above the local median it puts Mercer County, OH at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $289,367 on median home price, so Mercer County, OH sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mercer County, OH has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County, OH | 42,484 | $77,000 #2/6 | $142,672 #2/6 | 16.0 min #2/6 |
| Van Wert County, OH | 28,826 | $68,617 | $84,445 | 15.5 min |
| Adams County, IN | 36,227 | $65,374 | $37,419 | 17.3 min |
| Jay County, IN | 20,223 | $56,874 | $75,839 | 17.4 min |
| Darke County, OH | 51,593 | $64,114 | $326,785 | 18.3 min |
| Auglaize County, OH | 46,123 | $78,404 | $87,651 | 17.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Mercer County, Ohio.
What is the population of Mercer County, Ohio?
About 42,484 people live in Mercer County, Ohio, in 16,408 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 38.2, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Mercer County, Ohio?
Averaged over its land area, Mercer County, Ohio has 90 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Mercer County, Ohio?
The median home costs 1.9 times the median household income ($142,672 against $77,000), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $804 a month takes about 13% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Mercer County, Ohio?
Unemployment in Mercer County, Ohio is only 1.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Mercer County, Ohio?
19.0% of adults in Mercer County, Ohio hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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