Van Wert County, Ohio Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Van Wert 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.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,826 | 11,799,428 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 70.2 | 263.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.14% | 0.23% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.8 | 38.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,549 | 4,857,236 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Van Wert County declined by 0.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 28,826 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Van Wert County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.4% of residents. That is 0.3 points above Ohio as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,578 19.4% -1.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,492 19.1% -2.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,887 20.4% +0.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,704 19.8% +1.7 pts
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 51.0% of the people living in Van Wert County and men 49.0%.
- Women 51.0% Ohio 50.8%
- Men 49.0% Ohio 49.2%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Van Wert County
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Economy
Van Wert County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,617 | $71,509 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.93% | 4.38% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Van Wert County is about 4% lower than in Ohio.
Housing
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $84,445 | $139,044 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $781 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.1% | 67.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Van Wert County is about 9.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $781 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Van Wert County spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 129 hours, about 5.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.5 | 21.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.9 | 42.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 129 | 176 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,995 | $5,447 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,833 | 8,648 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 418 | 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 Van Wert County is 15 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
Van Wert County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 28.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.47 | 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
Van Wert County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Van Wert County | Ohio Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.1 | 77.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.4% | 17.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.9% | 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).
Van Wert County, OH Compared With Nearby Counties
Van Wert County, OH is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 28,826 residents against a local median of 40,413. Where Van Wert County, OH breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 27% below the local median of $115,161 at $84,445.
The counties themselves spread $118,087 on median home price, so Van Wert County, OH sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Van Wert County, OH has the 4th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Wert County, OH | 28,826 | $68,617 #4/5 | $84,445 #4/5 | 15.5 min #1/5 |
| Mercer County, OH | 42,484 | $77,000 | $142,672 | 16.0 min |
| Adams County, IN | 36,227 | $65,374 | $37,419 | 17.3 min |
| Auglaize County, OH | 46,123 | $78,404 | $87,651 | 17.3 min |
| Defiance County, OH | 38,343 | $73,463 | $155,506 | 17.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Van Wert County, Ohio.
How big is Van Wert County, Ohio by population?
About 28,826 people live in Van Wert County, Ohio, in 11,549 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 42.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
How densely populated is Van Wert County, Ohio?
Averaged over its land area, Van Wert County, Ohio has 70 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Van Wert County, Ohio?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($84,445 against $68,617), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $781 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Van Wert County, Ohio?
Unemployment in Van Wert County, Ohio is only 3.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Van Wert County, Ohio?
16.0% of adults in Van Wert County, Ohio hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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