1st Advantage MortgageWayne County households have a median income of $55,692 and median rent of $815 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Indiana license first.
On this page
- Wayne County at a glance
- How much Wayne County households make
- What it costs to live in Wayne County
- Employment and commuting in Wayne County
- Wayne County and the counties next door
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Wayne County
- What a median Wayne County budget can carry
- Who lives in Wayne County, in numbers
- Borrowing situations common in Wayne County
- A Wayne County borrower's checklist
- Licensing and complaints for Wayne County
- More guides for Wayne County
- Frequently asked questions
Wayne County at a glance
Wayne County is home to about 66,397 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 25th most populous of 92 county-level areas in Indiana. It covers 402 square miles of land, or about 165 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Wayne County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 14 places in the county (14 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Richmond, with about 35,581 residents, or 54% of the county.
How much Wayne County households make
At $55,692, the typical Wayne County household income is 15% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 87th among Indiana's 92 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | Wayne County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 31.8% | +9.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.7% | +1.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 18.5% | -7.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.0% | -3.2 pts |
About 32% of households earn under $35,000, while 24% clear $100,000. Census counts 17.9% of Wayne County residents in poverty, against 12.3% across Indiana. None of these numbers decides a Wayne County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Wayne County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $815 in Wayne County versus $1,062 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 51% of renter households here. Home values center on $140,200, or 2.5 years of median income. The ownership rate is 69%. Median construction year: 1960.
| Housing | Wayne County | Indiana statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $815/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $140,200 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.7% | 4.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 9% | 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.
Employment and commuting in Wayne County
The biggest employer of Wayne County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 28% of workers, followed by manufacturing (18%). The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 28% locally and 23% for Indiana. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 11% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home. Households without a car make up 8.9% of the total (6.2% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Wayne County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.0% | +4.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 17.9% | -0.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.2% | +0.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.4% | -1.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.3% | +0.7 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Wayne County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Wayne County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 17 to 28 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Union County leads the group on income ($76,424), Fayette County trails ($59,321), and Wayne County out-earns 0 of the six. Some neighbors are in Ohio. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Wayne County resident follows Indiana rules.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | - | $55,692 | $815/mo | 69% |
| Union County, IN | 17 mi | $76,424 | $760/mo | 80% |
| Fayette County, IN | 18 mi | $59,321 | $791/mo | 72% |
| Randolph County, IN | 21 mi | $60,791 | $723/mo | 77% |
| Preble County, OH | 21 mi | $69,223 | $794/mo | 80% |
| Henry County, IN | 21 mi | $63,150 | $820/mo | 76% |
| Darke County, OH | 28 mi | $64,486 | $779/mo | 72% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Wayne 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 68% of Wayne County residents live in one of the 14. Incomes vary by place: $56,484 at the median in Hagerstown, $45,399 in Richmond. Rent is cheapest in Hagerstown ($661) and steepest in Centerville ($839). Live in one of these Wayne County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | city | 35,581 | $45,399 | $822 | 7 mi |
| Centerville | town | 2,772 | $49,688 | $839 | 3 mi |
| Cambridge City | town | 1,657 | $51,071 | $788 | 9 mi |
| Hagerstown | town | 1,642 | $56,484 | $661 | 9 mi |
| Dublin | town | 870 | $51,406 | $714 | 11 mi |
| Fountain City | town | 702 | $47,802 | $671 | 8 mi |
| Spring Grove | town | 464 | $58,359 | $437 | 6 mi |
| Greens Fork | town | 436 | $74,875 | $1,063 | 3 mi |
| Milton | town | 323 | $47,083 | $686 | 10 mi |
| Boston | town | 246 | $70,893 | $923 | 12 mi |
| East Germantown | town | 229 | $45,179 | $940 | 8 mi |
| Economy | town | 144 | $42,212 | $708 | 9 mi |
| Mount Auburn | town | 88 | $72,143 | $875 | 10 mi |
| Whitewater | town | 74 | $62,679 | n/a | 11 mi |
What a median Wayne County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Wayne County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Wayne County: $4,641
- Rent at the median, $815, takes 18% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $856 a month
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,181 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Wayne County's.
Who lives in Wayne County, in numbers
Degree holders: 20% of adults over 25. About 11% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Wayne County | All of Indiana | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.5% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.2% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.8% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.9% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Wayne County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 42.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.5% |
| 60+ min | 6.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Wayne County
What the Wayne County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Wayne County. For the 11% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 51% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Consolidating cards in Wayne County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
A Wayne County borrower's checklist
Steps that save money for Wayne County residents:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Licensing and complaints for Wayne County
Wayne County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the Indiana state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Wayne County
The Indiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Wayne County earn?
The median is $55,692; 24% earn $100,000 or more and 32% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Wayne County?
$815 a month at the median, about 18% of median household income.
I live in a small Wayne County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Richmond, Centerville, Cambridge City, Hagerstown, Dublin and 9 more.
Will a Wayne County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Indiana as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Wayne County residents?
The Indiana Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Indiana; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.