1st Advantage MortgageThe median Ontario County household earns $82,324, and 9% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Ontario County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Ontario County
- Household income in Ontario County
- The Ontario County job picture
- How Ontario County compares with nearby counties
- Places inside Ontario County
- Room for a loan payment in Ontario County
- What the numbers mean for Ontario County borrowers
- People and households in Ontario County
- Lender oversight for Ontario County
- Steps before you apply in Ontario County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Ontario County
With an estimated 112,625 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Ontario County ranks 26th of 62 in New York for population. It covers 644 square miles of land, or about 175 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Rochester, NY metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 14 places in the county (9 incorporated, 5 census-designated); the largest is Canandaigua, with about 10,514 residents, or 9% of the county.
Rent, home values and ownership in Ontario County
A typical Ontario County rental runs $1,150 a month including utilities, which is 29% below New York. 46% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 20% spend half or more. With a median value of $222,900, a typical Ontario County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 74% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1976.
| Cost | Ontario County | New York figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,150/mo | $1,621/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $222,900 | $423,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 54% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 33% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.9% | 2.1% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Ontario 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.
Household income in Ontario County
Ontario County households have a median income of $82,324 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 15th of 62 in New York.
| Yearly household income | Ontario County | Gap to New York |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.9% | -4.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.1% | +7.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.3% | +3.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.7% | -6.4 pts |
The spread is wide: 41% of Ontario County households make $100,000 or more, and 18% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 9.0%, 5 points lower than the state's 14.0%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.442 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Ontario 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.
The Ontario County job picture
Education and health care employs 29% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 11%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 11% locally and 6% for New York. The survey's unemployment rate for Ontario County averages 3.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.4%). 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home. 6.1% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Ontario County share | +/- vs New York |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.9% | -0.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.4% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.8% | +5.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.1% | -3.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.0% | -0.1 pts |
| Construction | 6.8% | +1.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
How Ontario County compares with nearby counties
Yates County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Schuyler County, is 35 miles off. Monroe County leads the group on income ($76,382), Schuyler County trails ($67,663), and Ontario County out-earns 6 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario County | - | $82,324 | $1,150/mo | 74% |
| Yates County, NY | 18 mi | $69,701 | $834/mo | 77% |
| Seneca County, NY | 25 mi | $68,089 | $957/mo | 71% |
| Livingston County, NY | 26 mi | $74,001 | $931/mo | 76% |
| Wayne County, NY | 28 mi | $74,506 | $938/mo | 80% |
| Monroe County, NY | 34 mi | $76,382 | $1,173/mo | 64% |
| Schuyler County, NY | 35 mi | $67,663 | $899/mo | 79% |
Places inside Ontario County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 14 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 23% of Ontario County residents live in one of the 14. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $42,074 in Rushville to $91,058 in Shortsville. Rent is cheapest in Rushville ($656) and steepest in Manchester ($1,310). None of the 14 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canandaigua | city | 10,514 | $64,929 | $1,095 | 3 mi |
| Victor | village | 2,687 | $90,227 | $1,041 | 10 mi |
| Clifton Springs | village | 2,273 | $64,565 | $680 | 11 mi |
| Phelps | village | 2,254 | $71,083 | $1,111 | 14 mi |
| Shortsville | village | 1,713 | $91,058 | $909 | 8 mi |
| Manchester | village | 1,631 | $65,750 | $1,310 | 9 mi |
| Bloomfield | village | 1,310 | $80,000 | $873 | 7 mi |
| Naples | village | 1,028 | $53,611 | $881 | 17 mi |
| Port Gibson | CDP | 661 | n/a | n/a | 14 mi |
| Rushville | village | 603 | $42,074 | $656 | 8 mi |
| Honeoye | CDP | 539 | $78,086 | $1,164 | 12 mi |
| Crystal Beach | CDP | 531 | $52,465 | $973 | 4 mi |
| Gorham | CDP | 315 | $98,571 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Hall | CDP | 255 | $46,250 | n/a | 13 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Ontario County
Ontario County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $6,860 gross per month ($82,324 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $1,150 uses 17%
- $1,320: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,800 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Ontario County's.
What the numbers mean for Ontario County borrowers
Based on the Ontario County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 41% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Renters under pressure. When 46% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
People and households in Ontario County
College graduates make up 38% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 3.3%, against 5.1% for New York.
| Measure | Ontario County | New York statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 39.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 38.0% | 40.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.5% | 12.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.3% | 5.1% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | 29.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.6% | 14.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 14.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 6.4% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Ontario County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.5% |
| 60+ min | 4.0% |
Lender oversight for Ontario County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Ontario County, check the New York State Department of Financial Services. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on New York: New York personal loans.
Steps before you apply in Ontario County
Steps that save money for Ontario County residents:
- Price the Ontario County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The New York guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Ontario County earn?
The median is $82,324; 41% earn $100,000 or more and 18% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Ontario County rent compare with New York?
$1,150 locally versus $1,621 for the state, 29% below.
Which towns does the Ontario County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 14 Census places: Canandaigua, Victor, Clifton Springs, Phelps, Shortsville.
Can Ontario County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every New York county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Where can someone in Ontario County check a lender's license?
With the New York State Department of Financial Services. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.