1st Advantage MortgageAshtabula County households have a median income of $57,728 and median rent of $828 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Ashtabula County, OH: the basics
- What Ashtabula County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Ashtabula County
- The Ashtabula County job picture
- The communities that make up Ashtabula County
- How Ashtabula County compares with nearby counties
- Who lives in Ashtabula County, in numbers
- Borrowing situations common in Ashtabula County
- Room for a loan payment in Ashtabula County
- A Ashtabula County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Ashtabula County
- More guides for Ashtabula County
- Frequently asked questions
Ashtabula County, OH: the basics
With an estimated 97,167 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Ashtabula County ranks 28th of 88 in Ohio for population. Land area is 702 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 138 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Cleveland, OH metropolitan area. Ashtabula is the biggest of its 14 Census places, at roughly 17,856 people (18% of the county total).
What Ashtabula County households earn
At $57,728, the typical Ashtabula County household income is 12% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 74th among Ohio's 88 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Ashtabula County | Gap to Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.9% | +5.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.8% | +5.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.6% | -4.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.7% | -5.4 pts |
Some 29% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 24% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 17.6% of Ashtabula County residents in poverty, against 13.3% across Ohio. A household earning below the $57,728 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Ashtabula County
Renters in Ashtabula County pay a median of $828 a month, 20% below the Ohio figure of $1,034. 48% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 23% spend half or more. With a median value of $159,500, a typical Ashtabula County house costs 2.8 times what the median household earns in a year. 76% of Ashtabula County households own their home and 24% rent.
| Housing | Ashtabula County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $828/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $159,500 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 21% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 16% | 8% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
The Ashtabula County job picture
The biggest employer of Ashtabula County residents, by industry, is manufacturing at 23% of workers, followed by education and health care (21%). Compared with Ohio, the county leans toward manufacturing (23% against 15%). Averaged over the five survey years, 6.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 18% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of Ashtabula County workers | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22.9% | +8.3 pts |
| Education and health care | 21.1% | -3.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.1% | +0.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.1% | +1.2 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.3% | +0.3 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
The communities that make up Ashtabula County
The table lists the 14 largest of 14 Census places in Ashtabula County, by population. Together all 14 hold about 54,489 people, so roughly 44% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $41,563 in Orwell to $91,078 in Roaming Shores. Median rent ranges from $667 in Andover to $1,217 in Roaming Shores. None of the 14 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtabula | city | 17,856 | $44,120 | $793 | 3 mi |
| Conneaut | city | 12,357 | $61,741 | $772 | 9 mi |
| Geneva | city | 5,886 | $53,557 | $808 | 13 mi |
| Edgewood | CDP | 4,107 | $62,917 | $831 | 2 mi |
| Jefferson | village | 3,522 | $53,333 | $963 | 12 mi |
| North Kingsville | village | 2,741 | $61,840 | $779 | 4 mi |
| Roaming Shores | village | 1,936 | $91,078 | $1,217 | 19 mi |
| Orwell | village | 1,707 | $41,563 | $816 | 26 mi |
| Saybrook-on-the-Lake | CDP | 1,001 | $49,186 | $758 | 7 mi |
| Geneva-on-the-Lake | village | 888 | $50,438 | $829 | 11 mi |
| Andover | village | 797 | $47,941 | $667 | 23 mi |
| Rock Creek | village | 766 | $54,000 | $968 | 18 mi |
| Kingsville | CDP | 566 | $44,250 | $919 | 4 mi |
| Austinburg | CDP | 359 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
How Ashtabula County compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Lake County at 25 miles out to Mercer County at 49. Geauga County leads the group on income ($107,860), Trumbull County trails ($56,435), and Ashtabula County out-earns 1 of the six. The list crosses into Pennsylvania, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtabula County | - | $57,728 | $828/mo | 76% |
| Lake County, OH | 25 mi | $80,925 | $1,113/mo | 76% |
| Geauga County, OH | 36 mi | $107,860 | $1,083/mo | 87% |
| Crawford County, PA | 36 mi | $60,476 | $802/mo | 75% |
| Erie County, PA | 36 mi | $63,354 | $904/mo | 68% |
| Trumbull County, OH | 41 mi | $56,435 | $797/mo | 71% |
| Mercer County, PA | 49 mi | $59,976 | $843/mo | 72% |
Who lives in Ashtabula County, in numbers
College graduates make up 16% of the adult population. 10.3% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Ashtabula County | Ohio | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.1% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.4% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.3% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.8% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.6% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Ashtabula County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.5% |
| 60+ min | 8.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Ashtabula County
A few patterns in the Ashtabula County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Medical bills. 10% of Ashtabula County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
- 48% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Room for a loan payment in Ashtabula County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Ashtabula County's medians:
- Start: $4,811 gross per month ($57,728 / 12)
- Less median rent of $828, which is 17% of it
- $1,096: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Ashtabula County's.
A Ashtabula County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Ashtabula County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Ashtabula County-area credit union.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Ohio.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Lender oversight for Ashtabula County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Ashtabula County resident can confirm its license with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Ohio state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Ashtabula County
For statewide rules and data, see the Ohio guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ashtabula County a high-income county?
Its $57,728 median ranks 74th of 88 Ohio counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Ashtabula County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $828 a month; 48% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Ashtabula County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Ashtabula, Conneaut, Geneva, Edgewood, Jefferson and 9 more.
Will a Ashtabula County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Ohio as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Is there a Ashtabula County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Ohio it is the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions.