Van Wert County, Ohio

County in OH, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

28,826

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

41.6

years ∙ half population younger than 41.6, half older

Diversity Index

15.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

1.3%

foreign-born population

98.7%Native

1.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Van Wert County is a county in Ohio, United States.

Location

County in OH, US

Co-ordinates

DEC40.855520° N, 84.585775° W

DMS40° 51′ 19.87″ N, 84° 35′ 08.79″ W

Population Density & area

70.46/sq mi (27.2/km²)

Total Area

410.4 sq mi (1,063 km²)

Land Area

409.1 sq mi (1,059.7 km²) · 99.69%

Water Area

1.3 sq mi (3.3 km²) · 0.31%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

49.8% male

Male 49.8%

Female 50.2%

males per 100 females

Van Wert County 99.2

Ohio 97.3

United States 98

Nativity

1.3%

foreign-born population

98.7%Native

1.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Van Wert County 1.3%

Ohio 5.2%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

41.6

years ∙ half population younger than 41.6, half older

Van Wert County

41.6

Ohio

39.7

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

75.4

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Van Wert County 75.4

Ohio 67.4

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	23%	22%	22%
Working age (18-64)	57%	59.7%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	20%	18.3%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	75.4	67.4	64.4
Child dependency ratio	40.3	36.9	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	35	30.6	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

91.7%

Black

0.5%

Asian

0.3%

Hispanic

4.2%

Other

3.3%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

15.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Van Wert County 15.6%

Ohio 40.6%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Van Wert County population

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Hispanic or Latino	4.2%	4.8%	19.3%
Mexican	3.2%	2%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.1%	1.2%	1.8%
Cuban	0.1%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.9%	1.4%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	95.8%	95.2%	80.7%
One race	92.8%	90.9%	76.4%
White	91.7%	75.8%	57.4%
Black or African American	0.5%	12%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.2%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	0.3%	2.5%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.1%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3%	4.3%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

66.7% family

Family 66.7%

Non family 33.3%

% family households

Van Wert County 66.7%

Ohio 61.2%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.47

persons per household

Van Wert County

2.47

Ohio

2.37

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Van Wert County population

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Total households	11,549	4,863,191	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.47	2.37	2.53
Family households	7,705	2,976,515	82,990,528
Average family size	3.03	3.01	3.14
Married couple family	5,950	2,158,670	60,637,388
Other families	1,755	817,845	22,353,140
Male householder	567	235,478	6,572,819
Female householder	1,188	582,367	15,780,321
Non-family households	3,844	1,886,676	46,236,968
One-person households	3,405	1,556,005	37,140,836
Male householder	1,669	716,929	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	615	227,267	5,225,110
Female householder	1,736	839,076	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	949	427,631	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	439	330,671	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

12,573

housing units

Van Wert County 12,573

Ohio 5,292,391

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

91.9% occupied

Occupied 91.9%

Vacant 8.1%

vacancy rate

Van Wert County 8.1%

Ohio 8.1%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

88.6%

Single family houses

88.6%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

7.1%

Mobile homes

4.4%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1961

Half of houses were built before 1961, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

31.8%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

28%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

29.6%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

10.6%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.6	5.9	5.5
1–3 rooms	5.8%	10.7%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	42.7%	50.1%	51.6%
7+ rooms	51.6%	39.3%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.2%	1.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	4.3%	9.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	19.3%	25.4%	25%
3 bedrooms	53.5%	41.6%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	21.8%	21.9%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1961	1971	1981
Total housing units	12,573	5,292,391	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

82.1% owners

Renter-occupied 17.9%

Owner-occupied 82.1%

homeownership rate

Van Wert County 82.1%

Ohio 67.2%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.52

Owner-occupied

2.25

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Van Wert County 2.52

Ohio 2.5

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Total occupied units	11,549	4,863,191	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	14.8%	22.8%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	40.3%	38.6%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	14.8%	16.5%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	30.1%	22.1%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	99.2%	98.5%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	0.3%	1.1%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.5%	0.4%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	3.6%	7.5%	8.4%
1 vehicle	29.1%	34%	33.1%
2 vehicles	35.4%	37.4%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	31.9%	21.2%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	65.5%	69.6%	51.4%
Electricity	29.7%	26%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.9%	1.7%	3.9%
All other fuels	3.5%	2.2%	2%
No fuel used	0.5%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.5%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.7%	0.9%	0.8%
No telephone service available	1.1%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$152,000

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Van Wert County

$152,000

Ohio

$214,800

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

16.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

16.9%

Owners without a mortgage

8.2%

Renters

37%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Property value
Median Value	$152,000	$214,800	$332,700
Under $100,000	29.9%	16.3%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	39.4%	29.7%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	17.4%	23.3%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	10.4%	21.8%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	2.1%	7.7%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.8%	1.2%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	53.6%	60.6%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	46.4%	39.4%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,111	$1,517	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$472	$588	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$782	$1,034	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

17.1%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Van Wert County 17.1%

Ohio 31.5%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

5.9%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Van Wert County 5.9%

Ohio 8.1%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

6,207

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

8.7%

K–12

75.7%

College / Undergraduate

13.2%

Graduate / Professional

2.4%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

24.9%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Van Wert County

24.9%

Ohio

38.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	6,207	2,715,174	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	8.7%	6%	5.7%
K–12	75.7%	69.7%	67.6%
Kindergarten	3.8%	5.3%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	22.1%	20.8%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	24.2%	21.6%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	25.5%	22.1%	21.7%
College or graduate school	15.6%	24.3%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	13.2%	19.1%	21%
Graduate, professional school	2.4%	5.2%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	24.9%	38.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	84.5%	80.9%	82%
Private school	15.5%	19.1%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

20,068

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

4.1%

HS graduate

43.8%

Some college no degree

19.9%

Associates degree

13.3%

Bachelors degree

11.5%

Graduate or professional degree

5.6%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

63.9% · 36.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

40.2% · 59.8%

HS graduate

53.1% · 46.9%

Some college no degree

49.8% · 50.2%

Associates degree

37.2% · 62.8%

Bachelors degree

52.3% · 47.7%

Graduate or professional degree

39.8% · 60.2%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Population (25+)	20,068	8,162,216	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	1.8%	2.6%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.1%	5.5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	43.8%	32.1%	26%
Some college, no degree	19.9%	19.3%	19.1%
Associate's degree	13.3%	9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.1%	31.5%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	11.5%	19.3%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	5.6%	12.2%	14.1%
High School or higher	94.1%	91.8%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$47,636

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$21,913

HS graduate

$41,719

Some college or associates

$46,884

Bachelors degree

$61,152

Graduate or professional degree

$84,398

Poverty Rate

2.1%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

29.7%

HS graduate

10.4%

Some college or associates

Bachelors degree or higher

2.1%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Van Wert County	Ohio	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$47,636	$50,614	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$21,913	$32,025	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$41,719	$39,940	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$46,884	$45,998	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$61,152	$66,950	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$84,398	$84,072	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	29.7%	28.4%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	10.4%	14.2%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	7%	10.5%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	2.1%	4.2%	4.5%

Insights for Van Wert County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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