1st Advantage MortgagePortage County households have a median income of $75,766 and median rent of $1,064 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- Portage County by the numbers
- How much Portage County households make
- How Portage County residents earn a living
- Renting and owning in Portage County
- How Portage County compares with nearby counties
- Portage County towns compared
- Budget math at the Portage County median
- People and households in Portage County
- Borrowing situations common in Portage County
- Who licenses lenders for Portage County residents
- Before you sign
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Portage County by the numbers
Roughly 161,956 residents live in Portage County, Ohio, 20th by population among the state's 88 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 487 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 332 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Akron, OH metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 13 places in the county (9 incorporated, 4 census-designated); the largest is Kent, with about 27,116 residents, or 17% of the county.
How much Portage County households make
At $75,766, the typical Portage County household income is 15% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Household income | Portage County | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.9% | -0.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.1% | -1.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.7% | +3.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.3% | -0.8 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 37% clear $100,000. 11.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.3%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.447 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Portage County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Portage County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by manufacturing (16%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.3% in Portage County. Long commutes are the exception here: 13% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of Portage County workers | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.4% | +0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.9% | +1.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.2% | +1.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.2% | +1.8 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | -0.3 pts |
| Construction | 6.2% | +0.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Renting and owning in Portage County
A typical Portage County rental runs $1,064 a month including utilities, which is 3% above Ohio. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 55% of renter households here. With a median value of $227,000, a typical Portage County house costs 3.0 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 70% of homes.
| Measure | Portage County | Ohio | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,064/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $227,000 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 70% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 55% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 6.1% | 3.4% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How Portage County compares with nearby counties
Six nearby counties, 18 to 34 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Geauga County leads the group on income ($107,860), Trumbull County trails ($56,435), and Portage County out-earns 5 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage County | - | $75,766 | $1,064/mo | 70% |
| Summit County, OH | 18 mi | $71,622 | $1,026/mo | 68% |
| Geauga County, OH | 23 mi | $107,860 | $1,083/mo | 87% |
| Trumbull County, OH | 24 mi | $56,435 | $797/mo | 71% |
| Mahoning County, OH | 25 mi | $56,942 | $791/mo | 70% |
| Stark County, OH | 26 mi | $67,934 | $909/mo | 69% |
| Cuyahoga County, OH | 34 mi | $64,468 | $1,060/mo | 59% |
Portage County towns compared
Here are the 13 most populous of the county's 13 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 53% of Portage County residents live in one of the 13. Incomes vary by place: $127,886 at the median in Aurora, $42,964 in Kent. Median rent ranges from $791 in Atwater to $1,799 in Aurora. Live in one of these Portage County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | city | 27,116 | $42,964 | $991 | 9 mi |
| Streetsboro | city | 17,661 | $90,274 | $1,332 | 9 mi |
| Aurora | city | 17,581 | $127,886 | $1,799 | 12 mi |
| Ravenna | city | 11,274 | $59,971 | $947 | 2 mi |
| Brimfield | CDP | 2,979 | $90,377 | $1,438 | 9 mi |
| Garrettsville | village | 2,752 | $66,404 | $884 | 10 mi |
| Windham | village | 2,020 | $54,219 | $898 | 10 mi |
| Hiram | village | 1,201 | $75,313 | $857 | 10 mi |
| Suffield | CDP | 1,126 | $61,667 | $1,077 | 13 mi |
| Brady Lake | CDP | 831 | $44,205 | $966 | 6 mi |
| Atwater | CDP | 745 | $56,467 | $791 | 10 mi |
| Mantua | village | 661 | $49,732 | $903 | 8 mi |
| Sugar Bush Knolls | village | 328 | $171,359 | n/a | 8 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Budget math at the Portage County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Portage County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $6,314 a month: gross income for a household at the Portage County median
- Housing at the median rent of $1,064 uses 17%
- $1,146: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- With a 45% ceiling, about $1,777 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $1,064, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
People and households in Portage County
Degree holders: 33% of adults over 25. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Portage County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 32.5% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.1% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Portage County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 27.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.3% |
| 60+ min | 4.8% |
Borrowing situations common in Portage County
What the Portage County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Rent squeeze. 55% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Who licenses lenders for Portage County residents
The Ohio Division of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Ohio license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. Statewide data and rules: Ohio guide.
Before you sign
Steps that save money for Portage County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Portage County.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Related local guides
The Ohio guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Portage County?
$75,766 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,389 for Ohio. It ranks 20th of 88 in the state.
How does Portage County rent compare with Ohio?
$1,064 locally versus $1,034 for the state, 3% above.
Which towns does the Portage County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 13 Census places: Kent, Streetsboro, Aurora, Ravenna, Brimfield.
Is the fit check different in Portage County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Where can someone in Portage 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.