1st Advantage MortgageAbout 62% of Lucas County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $62,224. 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
- Lucas County, OH: the basics
- Work, industries and travel time in Lucas County
- Income in Lucas County compared with Ohio
- Housing costs in Lucas County
- Regional comparison for Lucas County
- Towns and communities in Lucas County
- What a median Lucas County budget can carry
- Lucas County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Lucas County data as a borrower
- Checking a lender's license in Ohio
- A Lucas County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Lucas County, OH: the basics
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Lucas County's population at 428,018; only 5 of Ohio's 88 county-level areas are larger. It covers 340 square miles of land, or about 1,260 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Toledo, OH metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 13 places in the county (10 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Toledo, with about 267,463 residents, or 62% of the county.
Work, industries and travel time in Lucas County
The biggest employer of Lucas County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). Averaged over the five survey years, 6.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 79% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Lucas County | Gap to Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.4% | +1.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% | +0.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +0.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.5% | -0.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.7% | +0.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Income in Lucas County compared with Ohio
At $62,224, the typical Lucas County household income is 5% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 61st among Ohio's 88 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Lucas County | Gap to Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.6% | +4.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.7% | +0.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.7% | -2.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.0% | -2.1 pts |
Some 29% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 30% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 17.7%, 4 points higher than the state's 13.3%. For a borrower in Lucas 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.
Housing costs in Lucas County
Renters in Lucas County pay a median of $934 a month, 10% below the Ohio figure of $1,034. 45% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $163,900, about 2.6 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 62%. Median construction year: 1963.
| Lucas County | Ohio | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $934/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $163,900 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 62% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.1% | 3.4% | n/a |
Regional comparison for Lucas County
Monroe County is closest, 16 miles from center to center; the sixth, Lenawee County, is 35 miles off. Monroe County leads the group on income ($77,335), Sandusky County trails ($62,295), and Lucas County out-earns 0 of the six. Some neighbors are in Michigan. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Lucas County resident follows Ohio rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas County | - | $62,224 | $934/mo | 62% |
| Monroe County, MI | 16 mi | $77,335 | $1,059/mo | 82% |
| Wood County, OH | 24 mi | $74,216 | $972/mo | 64% |
| Ottawa County, OH | 25 mi | $76,101 | $930/mo | 84% |
| Sandusky County, OH | 28 mi | $62,295 | $783/mo | 73% |
| Fulton County, OH | 34 mi | $72,864 | $863/mo | 80% |
| Lenawee County, MI | 35 mi | $70,518 | $987/mo | 80% |
Towns and communities in Lucas County
The table lists the 13 largest of 13 Census places in Lucas County, by population. Together all 13 hold about 340,299 people, so roughly 20% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $49,724 in Toledo to $167,917 in Ottawa Hills. Rent is cheapest in Holland ($833) and steepest in Ottawa Hills ($1,731). One of them, Toledo, has a separate city guide (linked); for the rest, this is the local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo | city | 267,463 | $49,724 | $901 | 6 mi |
| Oregon | city | 19,799 | $82,197 | $900 | 2 mi |
| Sylvania | city | 19,055 | $100,189 | $1,072 | 13 mi |
| Maumee | city | 13,715 | $80,833 | $995 | 13 mi |
| Waterville | city | 6,017 | $104,114 | $1,415 | 19 mi |
| Ottawa Hills | village | 4,798 | $167,917 | $1,731 | 9 mi |
| Whitehouse | village | 4,642 | $93,229 | $881 | 20 mi |
| Curtice | CDP | 1,535 | $104,226 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Holland | village | 1,438 | $64,868 | $833 | 13 mi |
| Neapolis | CDP | 737 | $99,405 | n/a | 25 mi |
| Reno Beach | CDP | 673 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Berkey | village | 317 | $113,611 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Harbor View | village | 110 | $72,083 | $638 | 1 mi |
What a median Lucas County budget can carry
How much room does a median Lucas County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $5,185 gross per month ($62,224 / 12)
- Less median rent of $934, which is 18% of it
- Under a 35% cap, $1,815 total minus rent leaves $881
- $1,399: what a 45% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Lucas County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 29% of the adult population. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Lucas County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 29.4% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.9% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.6% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.3% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Lucas County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 32.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 48.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.9% |
| 60+ min | 4.0% |
Reading the Lucas County data as a borrower
What the Lucas County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Lucas County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Checking a lender's license in Ohio
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Lucas County borrowers answers to the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Ohio: Ohio personal loans.
A Lucas County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Lucas County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Lucas County.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Verify the Ohio license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
City guides inside Lucas County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Lucas County household make?
About $62,224 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 13% below the Ohio median.
What do renters pay in Lucas County?
$934 a month at the median, about 18% of median household income.
I live in a small Lucas County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Toledo, Oregon, Sylvania, Maumee, Waterville and 8 more.
Are Lucas 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.
Where can someone in Lucas County check a lender's license?
With the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.