Hardin County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Hardin County, Ohio had an estimated 30,402 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,683, across 470 square miles. County output reached $1.37 bn in 2024, 421 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 30 7(a) approvals worth $5.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hardin County
How many people live in Hardin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,475
- Households11,724
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$62,484
- Median age35.2
- Median gross rent$793 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$151,200
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over18,572
- Population under 186,967
- Share under 1822.9 percent
- Population 65 and over4,919
- Share 65 and over16.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6418,589
- Civilian labor force14,976
- Unemployment rate4.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.7 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties72nd of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1466th of 3,222
Hardin County is the 72nd largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.9 percent against 16.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Hardin County
Is Hardin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202430,402
- Census 2020 base population30,683
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.92 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-4
- Births, 2024352
- Deaths, 2024382
- Natural change, 2024-30
- Net domestic migration, 2024-35
- Net international migration, 202461
- Total net migration, 202426
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-218
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2163rd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.92 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Hardin County
Where are people moving to Hardin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving586
- People arriving, from those returns1,054
- Tax returns filed by households leaving699
- Net household movement-113
- Adjusted gross income arriving$24.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-8.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$42,309
- Average income of a leaving household$47,784
- Largest single originAllen County (76 households)
- Largest single destinationAllen County (99 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 76 | 141 | $3.0 m |
| Logan County | 76 | 160 | $3.2 m |
| Hancock County | 55 | 89 | $3.0 m |
| Wyandot County | 40 | 72 | $1.6 m |
| Union County | 35 | 61 | $1.9 m |
| Franklin County | 32 | 49 | $1.5 m |
| Marion County | 20 | 47 | $845,000 |
Households arriving report $5,475 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Allen County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Hardin County
What is the Hardin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.37 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.26 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.2 percent
- GDP change over five years50.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes76th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1585th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,802
Output grew 8.2 percent in the latest year and 50.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Hardin County
Employment by industry in Hardin County
- Covered employment, annual average7,675
- Establishments reporting563
- Average annual pay$49,899
- Average weekly wage$960
- Manufacturing, employment1,759
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,879
- Retail trade, employment819
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,190
- Accommodation and food services, employment785
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,045
- Wholesale trade, employment235
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$84,237
- Finance and insurance, employment212
- Other services, except public administration, employment199
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,759 | 33 | $62,879 |
| Retail trade | 819 | 67 | $28,190 |
| Accommodation and food services | 785 | 47 | $18,045 |
| Wholesale trade | 235 | 18 | $84,237 |
| Finance and insurance | 212 | 32 | $69,758 |
| Other services, except public administration | 199 | 48 | $28,832 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 167 | 18 | $68,262 |
| Construction | 141 | 44 | $47,674 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,759 jobs, 22.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hardin County
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
- Establishments, all industries421
- Employment at those establishments6,502
- Annual payroll$290.9 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hardin County
Building permits in Hardin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202424
- Declared construction value permitted$6.7 m
- Single family units authorized24
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$277,860
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.0
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hardin County
SBA loans in Hardin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded30
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$174,840
- Median 7(a) approval$43,000
- 10th percentile approval$19,820
- 90th percentile approval$202,600
- Largest single approval$2,615,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)52
- Jobs per approval1.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals20
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer3.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter28
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (4)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (20)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.0 m
- Average 504 approval$2,002,000
- Median 504 approval$2,002,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval40.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved20.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$7.2 m
The average approval of $174,840 sits well above the median of $43,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 3.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hardin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hardin County
Do SBA loans in Hardin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full4
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure19
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hardin County
SBA lending by place in Hardin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Kenton, approvals10
- Ada, approvals10
- Ridgeway, approvals2
- Alger, approvals2
- Dunkirk, approvals2
- Forest, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kenton | 10 | $3,927,600 |
| Ada | 10 | $664,900 |
| Ridgeway | 2 | $246,000 |
| Alger | 2 | $154,900 |
| Dunkirk | 2 | $76,000 |
| Forest | 1 | $100,000 |
| Rushsylvania | 1 | $35,800 |
| Belle Center | 1 | $20,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $20,000 |
Kenton accounts for 10 approvals against 10 in Ada. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hardin County
How large is Hardin County?
- Land area470 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties32nd of 88
- Width, east to west24.4 mi
- Height, north to south21.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land65
- Establishments per square mile0.90
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hardin County
Flood risk in Hardin County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hardin County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390250
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate60.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Hardin County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Hardin County (community 390250), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hardin County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 60.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Hardin County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Hardin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,475
- Households11,724
- Average household size2.60
- Median household income$62,484
- Median age35.2
Common questions
Hardin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hardin County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 30,402 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 30,475, in 11,724 households, ranking 72nd of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hardin County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.92 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,683, to 30,402 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 352 births against 382 deaths, with net migration of 26. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hardin County?
$62,484. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,200, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $793 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hardin County?
421 establishments, employing 6,502 people with an annual payroll of $290.9 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Hardin County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,759 jobs, 22.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,675 jobs at an average annual pay of $49,899, or $960 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hardin County?
30 7(a) approvals totaling $5.2 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $43,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $2.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Hardin County?
24 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $6.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hardin County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Hardin County come from?
The largest single origin is Allen County, with 76 households. Arriving households report an average income of $42,309 against $47,784 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hardin County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Hardin County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Hardin County
Cities and places in Hardin.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hardin County. All 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenton | city | 7,663 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Ada | village | 4,797 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Forest | village | 1,286 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Dunkirk | village | 839 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Alger | village | 718 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Victory | village | 577 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| McGuffey | village | 384 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridgeway | village | 224 | 2 | 40.2 percent here, 59.8 percent Logan County |
| Patterson | village | 149 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dola | CDP | 126 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 30 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Hardin County, the largest being Rushsylvania (1), Belle Center (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby