1st Advantage MortgageDearborn County households have a median income of $84,735 and median rent of $845 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
- Dearborn County at a glance
- Dearborn County housing compared with Indiana
- How much Dearborn County households make
- Jobs and commutes in Dearborn County
- Dearborn County towns compared
- Regional comparison for Dearborn County
- What a median Dearborn County budget can carry
- More Dearborn County figures
- Reading the Dearborn County data as a borrower
- Steps before you apply in Dearborn County
- Licensing and complaints for Dearborn County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Dearborn County at a glance
With an estimated 51,094 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Dearborn County ranks 28th of 92 in Indiana for population. Packed into 305 square miles, that is close to 167 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (7 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Hidden Valley, with about 5,706 residents, or 11% of the county.
Dearborn County housing compared with Indiana
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $845 in Dearborn County versus $1,062 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 37% of renter households here. With a median value of $243,400, a typical Dearborn County house costs 2.9 times what the median household earns in a year. 85% of Dearborn County households own their home and 15% rent. Median construction year: 1982.
| Measure | Dearborn County | Indiana | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $845/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $243,400 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 85% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 37% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 20% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 4% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Dearborn County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
How much Dearborn County households make
Half of Dearborn County households take in less than $84,735 a year and half take in more, 18% above the Indiana median of $71,957.
| Yearly household income | Dearborn County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.6% | -2.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.6% | -3.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.5% | +7.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.3% | -0.9 pts |
Some 20% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 41% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 7.6% of Dearborn County residents in poverty, against 12.3% across Indiana. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.412 here. None of these numbers decides a Dearborn County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Jobs and commutes in Dearborn County
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Dearborn County residents work in education and health care and 16% in manufacturing. Construction stands out: 9% of workers here, versus 7% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 77% drive to work alone and 23% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 4.1% of the total (6.2% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Dearborn County workers | vs Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.3% | -0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 16.0% | -2.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +1.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.4% | +0.1 pts |
| Construction | 9.4% | +2.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.1% | +1.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Dearborn County towns compared
9 Census places fall mainly inside Dearborn County; the 9 biggest are below. They account for 27,407 residents, leaving about 46% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $121,208 at the median in Hidden Valley, $47,470 in Aurora. Live in one of these Dearborn County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Valley | CDP | 5,706 | $121,208 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Bright | CDP | 5,540 | $108,974 | $869 | 8 mi |
| Lawrenceburg | city | 5,179 | $51,250 | $767 | 6 mi |
| Greendale | city | 3,986 | $74,980 | $567 | 8 mi |
| Aurora | city | 3,648 | $47,470 | $718 | 6 mi |
| Dillsboro | town | 1,697 | $48,810 | $956 | 9 mi |
| St. Leon | town | 737 | $76,250 | $862 | 11 mi |
| Moores Hill | town | 629 | $68,750 | $1,192 | 6 mi |
| West Harrison | town | 285 | $43,750 | $807 | 12 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Regional comparison for Dearborn County
Ohio County is closest, 14 miles from center to center; the sixth, Hamilton County, is 23 miles off. Boone County leads the group on income ($99,414), Switzerland County trails ($65,343), and Dearborn County out-earns 5 of the six. The list crosses into Kentucky, Ohio, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dearborn County | - | $84,735 | $845/mo | 85% |
| Ohio County, IN | 14 mi | $70,392 | $898/mo | 81% |
| Ripley County, IN | 16 mi | $70,573 | $839/mo | 77% |
| Boone County, KY | 18 mi | $99,414 | $1,373/mo | 76% |
| Franklin County, IN | 19 mi | $78,074 | $870/mo | 82% |
| Switzerland County, IN | 22 mi | $65,343 | $758/mo | 79% |
| Hamilton County, OH | 23 mi | $72,470 | $1,075/mo | 59% |
What a median Dearborn County budget can carry
Dearborn County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $7,061 gross per month ($84,735 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $845 uses 12%
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,980 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Dearborn County's.
More Dearborn County figures
Degree holders: 25% of adults over 25. 4.8% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Dearborn County | Indiana statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.3% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.1% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.9% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 19.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 30.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 27.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 14.8% |
| 60+ min | 8.4% |
Reading the Dearborn County data as a borrower
A few patterns in the Dearborn County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Commuter costs. 23% drive 45 minutes or more. Compare shop financing with a loan, and keep a small repair fund.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 41% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Dearborn County borrower sees (free reports).
Steps before you apply in Dearborn County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Indiana.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Licensing and complaints for Dearborn County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Dearborn County, check the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Indiana guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Indiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Dearborn County earn?
The median is $84,735; 41% earn $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Dearborn County?
$845 a month at the median, about 12% of median household income.
Should Dearborn County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 85% of Dearborn County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Dearborn County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Hidden Valley, Bright, Lawrenceburg, Greendale, Aurora and 4 more.
Does living in Dearborn County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Dearborn County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.