1st Advantage MortgageThe median Richland County household earns $59,509, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Ohio license first.
On this page
- Richland County by the numbers
- Jobs and commutes in Richland County
- Income in Richland County compared with Ohio
- Richland County housing compared with Ohio
- Regional comparison for Richland County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Richland County
- A Richland County household budget, worked through
- Before borrowing in Richland County
- Who lives in Richland County, in numbers
- Before you sign
- Who licenses lenders for Richland County residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Richland County by the numbers
Richland County is home to about 125,099 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 23rd most populous of 88 county-level areas in Ohio. Land area is 495 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 253 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Mansfield, OH metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 10 places in the county (8 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Mansfield, with about 47,663 residents, or 38% of the county.
Jobs and commutes in Richland County
The biggest employer of Richland County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by manufacturing (21%). Compared with Ohio, the county leans toward manufacturing (21% against 15%). The survey's unemployment rate for Richland County averages 5.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.8%). Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 7.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Richland County | Compared with Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.8% | -0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 20.6% | +5.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.4% | +1.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.2% | -0.2 pts |
| Construction | 6.4% | +0.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.2% | -4.0 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 Richland County compared with Ohio
Half of Richland County households take in less than $59,509 a year and half take in more, 17% below the Ohio median of $71,389.
| Income band | Share in Richland County | Difference from Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.5% | +3.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.4% | +5.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.1% | -4.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.0% | -5.1 pts |
Some 27% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 25% have six-figure incomes. 13.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.3%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.430 (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.
Richland County housing compared with Ohio
Renters in Richland County pay a median of $824 a month, 20% below the Ohio figure of $1,034. 42% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 19% spend half or more. With a median value of $164,800, a typical Richland County house costs 2.8 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 68%.
| Measure | Richland County | Ohio | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $824/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $164,800 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 21% | n/a |
Regional comparison for Richland County
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (15 to 35 miles). Income ranges from $58,044 in Crawford County to $75,283 in Morrow County; 5 of these neighbors top Richland County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland County | - | $59,509 | $824/mo | 68% |
| Ashland County, OH | 15 mi | $69,860 | $888/mo | 78% |
| Crawford County, OH | 21 mi | $58,044 | $794/mo | 73% |
| Morrow County, OH | 22 mi | $75,283 | $937/mo | 81% |
| Huron County, OH | 26 mi | $67,878 | $848/mo | 74% |
| Knox County, OH | 26 mi | $73,878 | $950/mo | 76% |
| Wayne County, OH | 35 mi | $73,574 | $881/mo | 77% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Richland County
10 Census places fall mainly inside Richland County; the 10 biggest are below. They account for 74,832 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Butler has the highest median household income on the list ($75,250) and Mansfield the lowest ($44,540), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $772 in Lexington to $1,093 in Ontario. No Richland County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 10.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield | city | 47,663 | $44,540 | $814 | 1 mi |
| Shelby | city | 8,865 | $58,351 | $780 | 10 mi |
| Ontario | city | 6,667 | $68,539 | $1,093 | 4 mi |
| Lexington | village | 4,774 | $52,196 | $772 | 7 mi |
| Bellville | village | 2,086 | $67,396 | $814 | 11 mi |
| Roseland | CDP | 1,827 | $48,618 | $780 | 1 mi |
| Butler | village | 1,146 | $75,250 | $886 | 14 mi |
| Lincoln Heights | CDP | 685 | $45,882 | $875 | 3 mi |
| Lucas | village | 593 | $57,333 | $780 | 8 mi |
| Shiloh | village | 526 | $64,432 | $850 | 14 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
A Richland County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Richland County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $4,959 gross per month ($59,509 / 12)
- Median rent: $824, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $961 left for all other debt payments
- $1,308: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Before borrowing in Richland County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Richland County borrowers.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Richland County borrower sees (free reports).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
Who lives in Richland County, in numbers
18% of Richland County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 8.1%, against 6.4% for Ohio.
| Indicator | Richland County | All of Ohio | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.9% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.0% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.1% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.2% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 37.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 41.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 10.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 7.6% |
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Richland County:
- Price the Richland County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Who licenses lenders for Richland County residents
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Richland County borrowers answers to the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Ohio guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Ohio guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Richland County?
$59,509 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,389 for Ohio. It ranks 66th of 88 in the state.
How much is rent in Richland County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $824 a month; 42% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Does this page cover Mansfield?
Yes, along with the other 9 Census places in Richland County, such as Shelby, Ontario, Lexington.
Will a Richland County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Ohio as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Richland County residents?
The Ohio Division of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Ohio; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.