Ross County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Ross County, Ohio had an estimated 76,046 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 77,093, across 689 square miles. County output reached $3.87 bn in 2024, 1,245 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 61 7(a) approvals worth $13.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Ross County
How many people live in Ross County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202476,492
- Households29,808
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$61,303
- Median age41.1
- Median gross rent$906 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$171,500
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over54,609
- Population under 1816,098
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over13,697
- Share 65 and over17.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6446,697
- Civilian labor force33,389
- Unemployment rate3.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.3 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties32nd of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included746th of 3,222
Ross County is the 32nd largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.0 percent against 17.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ross County
Is Ross County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202476,046
- Census 2020 base population77,093
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.36 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-294
- Births, 2024712
- Deaths, 20241,044
- Natural change, 2024-332
- Net domestic migration, 202434
- Net international migration, 20244
- Total net migration, 202438
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024492
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2315th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.36 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.
Ross County
Where are people moving to Ross County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,612
- People arriving, from those returns2,896
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,470
- Net household movement142
- Adjusted gross income arriving$74.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$5.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$45,908
- Average income of a leaving household$46,458
- Largest single originFranklin County (220 households)
- Largest single destinationFranklin County (206 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 220 | 360 | $10.0 m |
| Pickaway County | 199 | 359 | $8.5 m |
| Pike County | 153 | 327 | $6.2 m |
| Jackson County | 72 | 141 | $3.1 m |
| Highland County | 71 | 144 | $2.7 m |
| Fairfield County | 61 | 129 | $3.6 m |
| Fayette County | 55 | 104 | $2.6 m |
| Vinton County | 51 | 99 | $2.3 m |
Households arriving report $550 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Franklin 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.
Ross County
What is the Ross County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.87 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.63 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.7 percent
- GDP change over five years29.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes40th of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes826th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$50,576
Output grew 6.7 percent in the latest year and 29.0 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.
Ross County
Employment by industry in Ross County
- Covered employment, annual average29,510
- Establishments reporting1,546
- Average annual pay$58,036
- Average weekly wage$1,116
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,296
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$72,230
- Manufacturing, employment4,720
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$74,637
- Retail trade, employment3,792
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,581
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,081
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,797
- Transportation and warehousing, employment1,329
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment897
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,296 | 218 | $72,230 |
| Manufacturing | 4,720 | 60 | $74,637 |
| Retail trade | 3,792 | 244 | $35,581 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,081 | 151 | $21,797 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,329 | 73 | $49,736 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 897 | 61 | $31,455 |
| Construction | 768 | 118 | $63,614 |
| Wholesale trade | 656 | 52 | $65,915 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,296 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ross County
How many businesses are in Ross County?
- Establishments, all industries1,245
- Employment at those establishments24,319
- Annual payroll$1.20 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents16.3
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.
Ross County
Building permits in Ross County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202424
- Declared construction value permitted$7.1 m
- Single family units authorized22
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units8.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$294,157
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.8
Single-family homes are 91.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ross County
SBA loans in Ross County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded61
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$224,775
- Median 7(a) approval$83,000
- 10th percentile approval$15,000
- 90th percentile approval$416,000
- Largest single approval$2,688,100
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)599
- Jobs per approval9.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals36
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter56
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals9.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (7)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (46)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$791,000
- Average 504 approval$395,500
- Median 504 approval$395,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval43.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved110.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$14.5 m
The average approval of $224,775 sits well above the median of $83,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 6.6 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.
Ross County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Ross County
Do SBA loans in Ross County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure41
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 11 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.
Ross County
SBA lending by place in Ross County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Chillicothe, approvals45
- Frankfort, approvals6
- Bainbridge, approvals4
- Chillicote, approvals2
- Londonderry, approvals1
- Clarksburg, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Chillicothe | 45 | $11,692,600 |
| Frankfort | 6 | $1,497,700 |
| Bainbridge | 4 | $143,500 |
| Chillicote | 2 | $80,000 |
| Londonderry | 1 | $120,000 |
| Clarksburg | 1 | $100,000 |
| South Salem | 1 | $69,000 |
| Kingston | 1 | $8,500 |
Chillicothe accounts for 45 approvals against 6 in Frankfort. 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.
Ross County
How large is Ross County?
- Land area689 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties2nd of 88
- Width, east to west34.9 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land111
- Establishments per square mile1.81
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.
Ross County
Flood risk in Ross County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Ross County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390480
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Ross 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 Ross County (community 390480), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Ross 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. 83.3 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 Ross 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 Ross County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202476,492
- Households29,808
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$61,303
- Median age41.1
Common questions
Ross County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ross County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 76,046 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 76,492, in 29,808 households, ranking 32nd of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ross County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.36 percent since the 2020 census base of 77,093, to 76,046 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 712 births against 1,044 deaths, with net migration of 38. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ross County?
$61,303. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $171,500, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $906 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Ross County?
1,245 establishments, employing 24,319 people with an annual payroll of $1.20 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Ross County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,296 jobs, 17.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 29,510 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,036, or $1,116 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ross County?
61 7(a) approvals totaling $13.7 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $83,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $791,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Ross County?
24 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.1 m. Multifamily was 8.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ross 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 Ross County come from?
The largest single origin is Franklin County, with 220 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,908 against $46,458 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ross 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 Ross 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.
Ross County
Cities and places in Ross.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Ross County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chillicothe | city | 21,902 | 45 | Wholly in this county |
| Greenfield | village | 3,966 | None recorded | 6.4 percent here, 93.6 percent Highland County |
| Frankfort | village | 1,171 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Kingston | village | 703 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Massieville | CDP | 642 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bainbridge | village | 617 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Bourneville | CDP | 509 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Andersonville | CDP | 495 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Richmond Dale | CDP | 473 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clarksburg | village | 464 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Adelphi | village | 316 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Salem | village | 185 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 61 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Ross County, the largest being Chillicote (2), Londonderry (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.