Guernsey County, OH personal loans: what the local numbers say

Population and place: Guernsey County

With an estimated 38,223 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Guernsey County ranks 65th of 88 in Ohio for population. Density: about 73.2 residents per square mile across 522 square miles of land. No metropolitan area includes Guernsey County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 12 places in the county (9 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Cambridge, with about 10,060 residents, or 26% of the county.

Guernsey County housing compared with Ohio

Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $864 in Guernsey County versus $1,034 statewide. By the Census definition, 47% of Guernsey County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $157,700, a typical Guernsey County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 72% of homes. Against the median U.S. county, Guernsey County rent is about level with.

At a $157,700 median value, many Guernsey County owners hold equity. Using it lowers cost only if you can carry the risk (equity vs. unsecured).

Guernsey County against other Ohio counties

Out of every Ohio county, Guernsey County is most unusual on these measures.

• Guernsey County ranks 2nd lowest of 88 Ohio counties for the share of workers who work from home: 4.0%, against 13.0% statewide. Few remote jobs means most pay stubs come from local employers.
• On the uninsured rate, Guernsey County sits near the top of Ohio at 11.9%, 5th highest of 88. Hospital payment plans are usually interest-free; compare before a loan.
• The share of households earning $100,000 or more: 23% in Guernsey County. Only 5 of 88 Ohio counties are lower. Few six-figure households means smaller loans are the norm.

Labor force snapshot: Guernsey County

By the Census industry count, 24% of employed Guernsey County residents work in education and health care and 16% in manufacturing. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 6% locally and 1% for Ohio. 5.3% of Guernsey County's labor force reported being unemployed, averaged across 2020 to 2024. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 12%; under 15 minutes: 41%. Only 8.8% of homes here go without a vehicle.

If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.

The $58,478 median and what sits around it

$58,478 is the median household income for Guernsey County, set against $71,389 for Ohio. That places it 70th among Ohio's 88 county-level areas.

About 29% of households earn under $35,000, while 23% clear $100,000. 15.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.3%). A household earning below the $58,478 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.

Counties near Guernsey County

Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (20 to 28 miles). Tuscarawas County leads the group on income ($65,044), Harrison County trails ($54,414), and Guernsey County out-earns 4 of the six.

The communities that make up Guernsey County

Places, by size: the top 12 of 12. Roughly 59% of Guernsey County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Buffalo ($84,441) and Byesville ($42,500) mark the top and bottom of Guernsey County's income range among larger places. Rent is cheapest in Cambridge ($788) and steepest in Buffalo ($1,283). None of the 12 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.

A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.

Debt-to-income, Guernsey County edition

The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Guernsey County's medians:

• Median income divided by twelve: $4,873 before taxes
• Rent at the median, $864, takes 18% of that
• With a 36% ceiling, about $890 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
• $1,231: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid

These are gross figures; take-home pay in Guernsey County will be lower after taxes and deductions.

What the numbers mean for Guernsey County borrowers

The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Guernsey County borrowers.

• Uninsured care. 12% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
• Guernsey County rent burden. 47% of renters are cost-burdened; ask your landlord about a payment plan before borrowing for rent.
• Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).

More Guernsey County figures

Degree holders: 16% of adults over 25. Health coverage gaps: 11.9% of Guernsey County residents are uninsured.

Steps before you apply in Guernsey County

Four checks before you sign anything:

• Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Guernsey County.
• Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
• A Ohio license check takes minutes; do it first.
• Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.

Verifying a lender from Guernsey County

Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Guernsey County borrowers answers to the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. If a Guernsey County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. The Ohio page has statewide figures to set beside Guernsey County's.

Other Ohio guides

Next step up from Guernsey County:

• Ohio state guide