1st Advantage MortgageThe median Delaware County household earns $133,540, and 5% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Ohio before sharing details.
On this page
- Who lives in Delaware County
- What Delaware County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Delaware County
- Renting and owning in Delaware County
- Delaware County and the counties next door
- Places inside Delaware County
- What a median Delaware County budget can carry
- People and households in Delaware County
- Borrowing situations common in Delaware County
- Lender oversight for Delaware County
- Steps before you apply in Delaware County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Delaware County
Delaware County is home to about 226,834 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 12th most populous of 88 county-level areas in Ohio. Land area is 443 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 512 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Columbus, OH metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Delaware is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 44,589 people (20% of the county total).
What Delaware County households earn
Half of Delaware County households take in less than $133,540 a year and half take in more, 87% above the Ohio median of $71,389. No county in Ohio posts a higher median.
| Band | Delaware County | Compared with Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 9.5% | -14.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 26.5% | -15.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 35.5% | +10.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 28.6% | +19.5 pts |
The spread is wide: 64% of Delaware County households make $100,000 or more, and 9% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 4.7%, 9 points lower than the state's 13.3%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.419 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $133,540 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Delaware County
The biggest employer of Delaware County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (15%). Finance, insurance and real estate stands out: 13% of workers here, versus 7% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.0% in Delaware County. 12% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 26% work from home. Households without a car make up 3.2% of the total (7.5% statewide).
| Top industries | Delaware County share | +/- vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.6% | +0.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 15.0% | +4.8 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 13.3% | +6.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.6% | -1.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.2% | -5.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.4% | -0.9 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Renting and owning in Delaware County
A typical Delaware County rental runs $1,492 a month including utilities, which is 44% above Ohio. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. With a median value of $445,500, a typical Delaware County house costs 3.3 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 79%. Half the housing stock was built before 2000.
| Measure | Delaware County | Ohio | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,492/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $445,500 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 21% | 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).
Delaware County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 19 to 32 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. None of the six report a higher median household income than Delaware County; Union County is highest at $112,322 and Marion County lowest at $59,371.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County | - | $133,540 | $1,492/mo | 79% |
| Union County, OH | 19 mi | $112,322 | $1,247/mo | 79% |
| Morrow County, OH | 20 mi | $75,283 | $937/mo | 81% |
| Franklin County, OH | 21 mi | $75,176 | $1,302/mo | 53% |
| Marion County, OH | 23 mi | $59,371 | $864/mo | 67% |
| Licking County, OH | 31 mi | $84,426 | $1,078/mo | 74% |
| Knox County, OH | 32 mi | $73,878 | $950/mo | 76% |
Places inside Delaware County
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 32% of Delaware County residents live in one of the 9. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $56,596 in Ashley to $195,495 in Powell. Live in one of these Delaware County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | city | 44,589 | $99,786 | $1,286 | 4 mi |
| Powell | city | 14,451 | $195,495 | $2,194 | 9 mi |
| Sunbury | city | 8,005 | $108,787 | $1,649 | 7 mi |
| Galena | village | 1,709 | $134,830 | $1,229 | 8 mi |
| Ashley | village | 1,593 | $56,596 | $1,039 | 10 mi |
| Ostrander | village | 1,008 | $159,375 | $1,000 | 11 mi |
| Shawnee Hills | village | 946 | $143,750 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Radnor | CDP | 95 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Kilbourne | CDP | 43 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
What a median Delaware County budget can carry
Here is the Delaware County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Monthly gross at the median, Delaware County: $11,128
- Less median rent of $1,492, which is 13% of it
- $3,293: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Two-income households and single earners in Delaware County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
People and households in Delaware County
College graduates make up 59% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 6.4% for Ohio.
| Indicator | Delaware County | All of Ohio | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 59.4% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 2.9% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.2% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 25.9% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.0% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Delaware County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.8% |
| 60+ min | 4.7% |
Borrowing situations common in Delaware County
A few patterns in the Delaware County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Consolidation math. With 64% at six figures, card consolidation is common; it pays only if total cost falls (guide).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Delaware County borrower sees (free reports).
Lender oversight for Delaware County
Consumer lenders serving Delaware County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Ohio that is the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Ohio guide covers state rules in more detail.
Steps before you apply in Delaware County
Steps that save money for Delaware County residents:
- Price the Delaware County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Ohio license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Ohio guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Delaware County household make?
About $133,540 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 87% above the Ohio median.
How does Delaware County rent compare with Ohio?
$1,492 locally versus $1,034 for the state, 44% above.
I own my home in Delaware County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 79% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Delaware County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Delaware, Powell, Sunbury, Galena, Ashley and 4 more.
Is the fit check different in Delaware County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.