1st Advantage MortgageThe median Perry County household earns $67,460, and 15% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Perry County at a glance
- What it costs to live in Perry County
- Paychecks and income spread in Perry County
- Work, industries and travel time in Perry County
- Places inside Perry County
- Perry County next to its neighbors
- Debt-to-income at Perry County's medians
- More Perry County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Perry County
- Checking a lender's license in Ohio
- Checklist for Perry County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Perry County at a glance
With an estimated 35,535 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Perry County ranks 68th of 88 in Ohio for population. Land area is 408 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 87 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Columbus, OH metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. New Lexington is the biggest of its 14 Census places, at roughly 4,519 people (13% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Perry County
Renters in Perry County pay a median of $777 a month, 25% below the Ohio figure of $1,034. By the Census definition, 44% of Perry County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $191,100, about 2.8 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 76%. The median home was built in 1978, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Measure | Perry County | Ohio | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $777/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $191,100 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 18% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 16.3% | 3.4% | n/a |
Because most Perry County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Paychecks and income spread in Perry County
Perry County households have a median income of $67,460 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 46th of 88 in Ohio.
| Households earning | Perry County | +/- vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.2% | +3.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.4% | +0.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.8% | -1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.6% | -2.5 pts |
Some 27% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 30% have six-figure incomes. 14.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.3%). For a borrower in Perry 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.
Work, industries and travel time in Perry County
The biggest employer of Perry County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by manufacturing (14%). The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 11% locally and 6% for Ohio. The survey's unemployment rate for Perry County averages 3.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.8%). Long commutes are common here: 30% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 7.2% of the total (7.5% statewide).
| Where residents work | Perry County | Difference from Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% | -0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.0% | -0.7 pts |
| Construction | 11.0% | +5.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -0.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.1% | +3.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.3% | -3.0 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Places inside Perry County
The table lists the 14 largest of 14 Census places in Perry County, by population. Together all 14 hold about 15,828 people, so roughly 55% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $43,734 in New Lexington to $110,313 in Thornport. Rent is cheapest in New Lexington ($686) and steepest in Thornville ($1,078). None of the 14 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Lexington | village | 4,519 | $43,734 | $686 | 2 mi |
| Crooksville | village | 2,379 | $47,411 | $721 | 8 mi |
| Roseville | village | 1,821 | $44,792 | $722 | 10 mi |
| Thornville | village | 1,818 | $102,237 | $1,078 | 14 mi |
| Somerset | village | 1,216 | $55,208 | $819 | 5 mi |
| Thornport | CDP | 998 | $110,313 | n/a | 16 mi |
| Junction City | village | 773 | $53,125 | $689 | 4 mi |
| New Straitsville | village | 684 | $52,692 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Corning | village | 497 | $30,833 | $831 | 13 mi |
| Shawnee | village | 396 | $52,656 | $665 | 9 mi |
| Hemlock | village | 255 | n/a | $1,101 | 11 mi |
| Glenford | village | 246 | $92,500 | $532 | 11 mi |
| Rendville | village | 149 | $2,499 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Rose Farm | CDP | 77 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
Perry County next to its neighbors
Six nearby counties, 21 to 30 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Fairfield County leads the group on income ($90,966), Athens County trails ($56,001), and Perry County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | - | $67,460 | $777/mo | 76% |
| Fairfield County, OH | 21 mi | $90,966 | $1,172/mo | 75% |
| Morgan County, OH | 22 mi | $59,351 | $742/mo | 79% |
| Hocking County, OH | 22 mi | $62,960 | $808/mo | 79% |
| Muskingum County, OH | 22 mi | $60,780 | $833/mo | 68% |
| Licking County, OH | 27 mi | $84,426 | $1,078/mo | 74% |
| Athens County, OH | 30 mi | $56,001 | $939/mo | 60% |
Debt-to-income at Perry County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Perry County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Perry County: $5,622
- Rent at the median, $777, takes 14% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,247 a month
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Perry County's.
More Perry County figures
College graduates make up 16% of the adult population. About 8% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Perry County | All of Ohio | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.2% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 11.7% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.1% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.2% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Perry County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 22.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.7% |
| 60+ min | 17.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Perry County
Based on the Perry County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Long drives. With 30% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Perry County budgets.
- Mobile home upkeep. 16% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Checking a lender's license in Ohio
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Perry County borrowers answers to the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. The Ohio guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Perry County applicants
A short checklist for Perry County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Ohio.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Ohio guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Perry County?
$67,460 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,389 for Ohio. It ranks 46th of 88 in the state.
How much is rent in Perry County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $777 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Perry County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 76% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Perry County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers New Lexington, Crooksville, Roseville, Thornville, Somerset and 9 more.
Can Perry County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Ohio county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.