Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Ohio a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Ohio.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Buckeye State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Ohio, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 88 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Ohio For 2024
Delaware County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Ohio. And you should avoid Meigs County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Ohio. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Ohio and the cheapest places to live in Ohio.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Ohio For 2024
1. Delaware County
Biggest Place: Columbus
Population: 216,074
Median Income: $123,995 (best)
Median Home Price: $467,297 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (11th best)
More on Delaware County: Data
2. Warren County
Biggest Place: Middletown
Population: 243,189
Median Income: $103,128 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $361,747 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (10th best)
More on Warren County: Data
3. Union County
Biggest Place: Dublin
Population: 63,411
Median Income: $104,496 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $369,353 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (8th best)
More on Union County: Data
4. Medina County
Biggest Place: Brunswick
Population: 182,347
Median Income: $89,968 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $305,748 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (9th best)
More on Medina County: Data
5. Putnam County
Biggest Place: Ottawa
Population: 34,400
Median Income: $79,453 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $224,229 (24th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2% (3rd best)
More on Putnam County: Data
6. Mercer County
Biggest Place: Celina
Population: 42,321
Median Income: $73,278 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $237,417 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0% (2nd best)
More on Mercer County: Data
7. Licking County
Biggest Place: Newark
Population: 178,844
Median Income: $78,505 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $302,730 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (13th best)
More on Licking County: Data
8. Auglaize County
Biggest Place: Wapakoneta
Population: 46,263
Median Income: $75,231 (14th best)
Median Home Price: $201,043 (40th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (7th best)
More on Auglaize County: Data
9. Ottawa County
Biggest Place: Port Clinton
Population: 40,367
Median Income: $69,515 (28th best)
Median Home Price: $251,932 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4% (17th best)
More on Ottawa County: Data
10. Clermont County
Biggest Place: Loveland
Population: 208,851
Median Income: $79,573 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $287,752 (9th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (32nd best)
More on Clermont County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Ohio county is the best?
To give you the best county in Ohio, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Ohio across each of the criteria from one to 88, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Ohio.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Buckeye State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Ohio.
Read on to see why Delaware County is the best county, while Meigs County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Ohio.
Summary: The Best Counties In Ohio To Call Home For 2024
Living in Ohio can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Ohio are Delaware County, Warren County, Union County, Medina County, Putnam County, Mercer County, Licking County, Auglaize County, Ottawa County, and Clermont County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Ohio according to the data:
- Meigs County
- Coshocton County
- Adams County
For more Ohio reading, check out:
- Best Places To Buy A House In Ohio
- Richest Cities In Ohio
- Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
- Safest Places In Ohio
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Ohio
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware County | 216,074 | $123,995 | $467,297 |
| 2 | Warren County | 243,189 | $103,128 | $361,747 |
| 3 | Union County | 63,411 | $104,496 | $369,353 |
| 4 | Medina County | 182,347 | $89,968 | $305,748 |
| 5 | Putnam County | 34,400 | $79,453 | $224,229 |
| 6 | Mercer County | 42,321 | $73,278 | $237,417 |
| 7 | Licking County | 178,844 | $78,505 | $302,730 |
| 8 | Auglaize County | 46,263 | $75,231 | $201,043 |
| 9 | Ottawa County | 40,367 | $69,515 | $251,932 |
| 10 | Clermont County | 208,851 | $79,573 | $287,752 |
| 11 | Fairfield County | 159,371 | $82,969 | $314,229 |
| 12 | Wyandot County | 21,818 | $68,552 | $177,339 |
| 13 | Miami County | 108,818 | $71,440 | $228,150 |
| 14 | Lake County | 232,236 | $76,835 | $214,973 |
| 15 | Greene County | 167,567 | $81,243 | $260,712 |
| 16 | Geauga County | 95,455 | $97,162 | $338,662 |
| 17 | Fulton County | 42,602 | $71,453 | $207,273 |
| 18 | Hancock County | 75,072 | $67,006 | $216,929 |
| 19 | Preble County | 40,929 | $66,355 | $204,299 |
| 20 | Logan County | 46,098 | $69,125 | $219,527 |
| 21 | Van Wert County | 28,833 | $64,841 | $160,206 |
| 22 | Wood County | 131,564 | $70,537 | $219,428 |
| 23 | Champaign County | 38,715 | $70,486 | $220,387 |
| 24 | Shelby County | 48,145 | $73,502 | $204,974 |
| 25 | Madison County | 43,961 | $77,062 | $275,002 |
| 26 | Henry County | 27,601 | $71,616 | $175,028 |
| 27 | Portage County | 161,217 | $69,796 | $241,846 |
| 28 | Morrow County | 35,049 | $70,412 | $247,799 |
| 29 | Knox County | 62,657 | $71,246 | $255,904 |
| 30 | Holmes County | 44,273 | $72,987 | $320,850 |
| 31 | Butler County | 388,327 | $77,062 | $273,293 |
| 32 | Pickaway County | 58,809 | $67,600 | $286,753 |
| 33 | Seneca County | 55,062 | $62,476 | $154,793 |
| 34 | Franklin County | 1,318,149 | $71,070 | $278,476 |
| 35 | Darke County | 51,751 | $60,237 | $191,716 |
| 36 | Clinton County | 42,077 | $64,210 | $217,813 |
| 37 | Lorain County | 313,101 | $67,272 | $221,319 |
| 38 | Hamilton County | 827,671 | $68,249 | $244,678 |
| 39 | Wayne County | 116,680 | $70,320 | $249,400 |
| 40 | Sandusky County | 58,885 | $60,814 | $167,573 |
| 41 | Stark County | 374,199 | $63,130 | $190,048 |
| 42 | Williams County | 36,973 | $60,632 | $160,894 |
| 43 | Summit County | 539,361 | $68,360 | $197,203 |
| 44 | Paulding County | 18,827 | $65,331 | $144,938 |
| 45 | Defiance County | 38,300 | $69,302 | $167,353 |
| 46 | Erie County | 75,299 | $65,171 | $210,206 |
| 47 | Ashland County | 52,522 | $62,254 | $210,244 |
| 48 | Huron County | 58,518 | $64,144 | $162,526 |
| 49 | Brown County | 43,715 | $66,677 | $221,403 |
| 50 | Washington County | 59,639 | $59,053 | $181,432 |
| 51 | Carroll County | 26,761 | $59,872 | $195,024 |
| 52 | Hocking County | 28,104 | $59,007 | $235,320 |
| 53 | Muskingum County | 86,393 | $56,810 | $178,604 |
| 54 | Montgomery County | 536,121 | $61,942 | $176,906 |
| 55 | Allen County | 102,087 | $58,976 | $165,828 |
| 56 | Cuyahoga County | 1,256,620 | $60,074 | $190,956 |
| 57 | Richland County | 125,008 | $56,557 | $166,898 |
| 58 | Perry County | 35,451 | $62,899 | $203,077 |
| 59 | Lawrence County | 57,994 | $51,846 | $139,216 |
| 60 | Tuscarawas County | 92,840 | $61,953 | $188,141 |
| 61 | Jefferson County | 65,280 | $53,124 | $116,861 |
| 62 | Highland County | 43,285 | $60,522 | $180,172 |
| 63 | Fayette County | 28,901 | $56,773 | $201,661 |
| 64 | Belmont County | 66,554 | $56,943 | $133,599 |
| 65 | Lucas County | 430,014 | $57,265 | $153,284 |
| 66 | Mahoning County | 227,979 | $54,279 | $149,020 |
| 67 | Ross County | 76,957 | $58,048 | $189,395 |
| 68 | Marion County | 65,366 | $55,106 | $161,640 |
| 69 | Clark County | 135,877 | $58,954 | $173,572 |
| 70 | Columbiana County | 101,723 | $55,473 | $143,544 |
| 71 | Hardin County | 30,622 | $55,876 | $164,468 |
| 72 | Monroe County | 13,401 | $55,381 | $150,258 |
| 73 | Noble County | 14,216 | $51,547 | $182,840 |
| 74 | Trumbull County | 201,749 | $53,537 | $143,690 |
| 75 | Athens County | 61,276 | $48,750 | $158,570 |
| 76 | Crawford County | 41,861 | $52,486 | $134,689 |
| 77 | Harrison County | 14,528 | $54,056 | $138,415 |
| 78 | Gallia County | 29,276 | $55,533 | $144,947 |
| 79 | Pike County | 27,151 | $50,832 | $157,709 |
| 80 | Guernsey County | 38,409 | $53,901 | $140,386 |
| 81 | Vinton County | 12,790 | $50,967 | $142,623 |
| 82 | Morgan County | 13,851 | $51,056 | $137,390 |
| 83 | Jackson County | 32,563 | $56,549 | $125,167 |
| 84 | Scioto County | 73,716 | $46,360 | $122,026 |
| 85 | Ashtabula County | 97,666 | $53,663 | $164,519 |
| 86 | Adams County | 27,509 | $46,234 | $159,586 |
| 87 | Coshocton County | 36,629 | $52,048 | $155,374 |
| 88 | Meigs County | 22,242 | $46,255 | $102,976 |
