1st Advantage MortgageAbout 73% of Columbiana County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $58,180. 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
- Getting oriented in Columbiana County
- Paychecks and income spread in Columbiana County
- Renting and owning in Columbiana County
- Work, industries and travel time in Columbiana County
- Places inside Columbiana County
- Columbiana County and the counties next door
- What a median Columbiana County budget can carry
- Local borrowing considerations for Columbiana County
- Columbiana County households compared
- Lender oversight for Columbiana County
- A Columbiana County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Columbiana County
With an estimated 100,704 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Columbiana County ranks 27th of 88 in Ohio for population. Packed into 532 square miles, that is close to 189 residents for every square mile of land. No metropolitan area includes Columbiana County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 20 Census places inside Columbiana County, East Liverpool leads by population with about 9,783; 11 of the 20 are incorporated.
Paychecks and income spread in Columbiana County
The median household income in Columbiana County is $58,180; statewide it is $71,389, so Columbiana County runs 19% below Ohio as a whole. Only 71 Ohio counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Columbiana County | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.2% | +6.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.1% | +3.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.1% | -5.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.6% | -4.5 pts |
About 30% of households earn under $35,000, while 25% clear $100,000. 15.2% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.3%). For a borrower in Columbiana County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Renting and owning in Columbiana County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $756 in Columbiana County versus $1,034 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 46% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,600, about 2.6 times the median household income. Owners occupy 73% of homes. The median home was built in 1964, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Columbiana County | Ohio | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $756/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $151,600 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 21% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 8% | n/a |
Because most Columbiana County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Work, industries and travel time in Columbiana County
By the Census industry count, 24% of employed Columbiana County residents work in education and health care and 18% in manufacturing. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 18% locally and 15% for Ohio. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 17% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home. 7.6% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Columbiana County share | +/- vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.7% | -0.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.3% | +3.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 11.0% | +2.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.2% | -1.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.7% | +1.7 pts |
| Construction | 6.8% | +0.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Columbiana County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 20 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 42% of Columbiana County residents live in one of the 20. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $31,720 in Wellsville to $162,847 in Lake Tomahawk. No Columbiana County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 20.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Liverpool | city | 9,783 | $34,009 | $785 | 15 mi |
| Columbiana | city | 6,903 | $54,688 | $702 | 10 mi |
| Calcutta | CDP | 4,754 | $58,793 | $646 | 13 mi |
| East Palestine | village | 4,696 | $49,777 | $851 | 13 mi |
| Wellsville | village | 3,063 | $31,720 | $823 | 13 mi |
| Lisbon | village | 2,832 | $46,667 | $744 | 1 mi |
| Leetonia | village | 1,862 | $62,143 | $867 | 8 mi |
| Glenmoor | CDP | 1,590 | $73,750 | $957 | 11 mi |
| Guilford Lake | CDP | 1,307 | $92,768 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Salineville | village | 992 | $47,917 | $810 | 11 mi |
| New Waterford | village | 950 | $46,875 | $589 | 10 mi |
| La Croft | CDP | 915 | $50,054 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Lake Tomahawk | CDP | 864 | $162,847 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Homeworth | CDP | 423 | $72,230 | $828 | 16 mi |
Columbiana County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 17 to 28 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Beaver County leads the group on income ($71,089), Mahoning County trails ($56,942), and Columbiana County out-earns 1 of the six. The list crosses into Pennsylvania, West Virginia, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbiana County | - | $58,180 | $756/mo | 73% |
| Mahoning County, OH | 17 mi | $56,942 | $791/mo | 70% |
| Hancock County, WV | 21 mi | $61,466 | $771/mo | 74% |
| Carroll County, OH | 21 mi | $64,835 | $863/mo | 79% |
| Beaver County, PA | 23 mi | $71,089 | $890/mo | 75% |
| Jefferson County, OH | 26 mi | $59,055 | $835/mo | 71% |
| Lawrence County, PA | 28 mi | $61,931 | $831/mo | 76% |
What a median Columbiana County budget can carry
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Columbiana County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,848 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $756, takes 16% of that
- 35% debt-to-income limit: $941 left for all other debt payments
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,426 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Local borrowing considerations for Columbiana County
Based on the Columbiana County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Tight rental budgets. With 46% of Columbiana County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Columbiana County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Columbiana County households compared
17% of Columbiana County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 7.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| Columbiana County | Ohio | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.1% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.2% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.1% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.6% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.8% |
| 60+ min | 7.0% |
Lender oversight for Columbiana County
Columbiana County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the Ohio state guide for the statewide picture.
A Columbiana County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Columbiana County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Ohio guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Columbiana County a high-income county?
Its $58,180 median ranks 72nd of 88 Ohio counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Columbiana County rent compare with Ohio?
$756 locally versus $1,034 for the state, 27% below.
I live in a small Columbiana County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers East Liverpool, Columbiana, Calcutta, East Palestine, Wellsville and 15 more.
Are Columbiana County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Is there a Columbiana County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Ohio it is the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions.