1st Advantage MortgageWood County households have a median income of $74,216 and median rent of $972 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
- Who lives in Wood County
- How much Wood County households make
- How Wood County residents earn a living
- What it costs to live in Wood County
- The counties around Wood County
- The communities that make up Wood County
- Room for a loan payment in Wood County
- What the numbers mean for Wood County borrowers
- Wood County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Checking a lender's license in Ohio
- Four steps for Wood County borrowers
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Wood County
Wood County is home to about 132,064 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 22nd most populous of 88 county-level areas in Ohio. It covers 617 square miles of land, or about 214 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Toledo, OH metropolitan area. Bowling Green is the biggest of its 27 Census places, at roughly 29,983 people (23% of the county total).
How much Wood County households make
At $74,216, the typical Wood County household income is 13% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 24th among Ohio's 88 county-level areas.
| Household income | Wood County | vs Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.6% | -1.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.5% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.0% | +1.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.8% | +0.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 37% of Wood County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. Census counts 12.2% of Wood County residents in poverty, against 13.3% across Ohio. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.472 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Wood County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 18%. Compared with Ohio, the county leans toward manufacturing (18% against 15%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 7% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.1% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Wood County | Gap to Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.1% | +2.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 18.4% | +3.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.8% | -0.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.3% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -2.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.9% | -0.1 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Wood County
Renters in Wood County pay a median of $972 a month, 6% below the Ohio figure of $1,034. By the Census definition, 44% of Wood County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $227,600, about 3.1 times the median household income. 64% of Wood County households own their home and 36% rent. Median construction year: 1978.
| Housing | Wood County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $972/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $227,600 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 64% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 17% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.9% | 3.4% | n/a |
The counties around Wood County
Henry County is closest, 23 miles from center to center; the sixth, Fulton County, is 31 miles off. Income ranges from $62,224 in Lucas County to $80,099 in Henry County; 1 of these neighbors top Wood County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood County | - | $74,216 | $972/mo | 64% |
| Henry County, OH | 23 mi | $80,099 | $849/mo | 83% |
| Lucas County, OH | 24 mi | $62,224 | $934/mo | 62% |
| Sandusky County, OH | 25 mi | $62,295 | $783/mo | 73% |
| Hancock County, OH | 25 mi | $73,141 | $979/mo | 71% |
| Seneca County, OH | 31 mi | $66,025 | $856/mo | 73% |
| Fulton County, OH | 31 mi | $72,864 | $863/mo | 80% |
The communities that make up Wood County
The table lists the 14 largest of 27 Census places in Wood County, by population. Together all 27 hold about 87,703 people, so roughly 34% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $45,154 in Bowling Green to $111,643 in Perrysburg. Live in one of these Wood County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | city | 29,983 | $45,154 | $897 | 2 mi |
| Perrysburg | city | 25,181 | $111,643 | $1,198 | 12 mi |
| Rossford | city | 6,323 | $71,199 | $898 | 15 mi |
| Northwood | city | 5,193 | $77,268 | $965 | 19 mi |
| North Baltimore | village | 3,584 | $60,396 | $797 | 13 mi |
| Walbridge | village | 3,034 | $55,469 | $1,037 | 17 mi |
| Weston | village | 1,638 | $60,714 | $858 | 9 mi |
| Pemberville | village | 1,371 | $88,269 | $1,134 | 9 mi |
| Haskins | village | 1,291 | $108,828 | $996 | 8 mi |
| Millbury | village | 1,259 | $80,833 | $1,021 | 17 mi |
| Bradner | village | 1,053 | $64,286 | $666 | 10 mi |
| Luckey | village | 953 | $90,795 | $1,173 | 10 mi |
| Wayne | village | 924 | $73,125 | $914 | 9 mi |
| Grand Rapids | village | 802 | $76,250 | $840 | 13 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Wood County
Here is the Wood County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,185 before taxes
- 16% goes to median rent ($972)
- $1,687: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Two-income households and single earners in Wood County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
What the numbers mean for Wood County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Wood County borrowers.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Wood County borrower sees (free reports).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Consolidating cards in Wood County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
Wood County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 37% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 4.2%, against 6.4% for Ohio.
| People and households | Wood County | Ohio | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 36.5% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.0% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.2% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.1% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Wood County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 32.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.6% |
| 60+ min | 3.1% |
Checking a lender's license in Ohio
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Wood County borrowers answers to the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Ohio state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Wood County borrowers
Steps that save money for Wood County residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Wood County-area credit union.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Ohio guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Wood County?
$74,216 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,389 for Ohio. It ranks 24th of 88 in the state.
How much is rent in Wood County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $972 a month; 44% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Wood County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Bowling Green, Perrysburg, Rossford, Northwood, North Baltimore and 22 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Wood County or elsewhere in Ohio, the same rules apply.
Is there a Wood County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Ohio it is the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions.