Wayne County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Wayne County, Ohio had an estimated 116,632 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,875, across 555 square miles. County output reached $8.95 bn in 2024, 2,583 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 190 7(a) approvals worth $34.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wayne County
How many people live in Wayne County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024116,588
- Households44,365
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$73,574
- Median age38.9
- Median gross rent$881 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$222,100
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over77,070
- Population under 1827,936
- Share under 1824.0 percent
- Population 65 and over22,186
- Share 65 and over19.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6466,466
- Civilian labor force55,916
- Unemployment rate3.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.1 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties24th of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included545th of 3,222
Wayne County is the 24th largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.0 percent against 19.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wayne County
Is Wayne County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024116,632
- Census 2020 base population116,875
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.21 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-3
- Births, 20241,388
- Deaths, 20241,338
- Natural change, 202450
- Net domestic migration, 2024-358
- Net international migration, 2024301
- Total net migration, 2024-57
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-974
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1916th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.21 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wayne County
Where are people moving to Wayne County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,200
- People arriving, from those returns3,812
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,443
- Net household movement-243
- Adjusted gross income arriving$116.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-15.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,069
- Average income of a leaving household$54,316
- Largest single originMedina County (310 households)
- Largest single destinationStark County (294 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medina County | 310 | 516 | $17.2 m |
| Summit County | 258 | 420 | $12.8 m |
| Stark County | 242 | 421 | $10.8 m |
| Holmes County | 176 | 348 | $9.4 m |
| Ashland County | 127 | 232 | $5.8 m |
| Cuyahoga County | 103 | 162 | $5.5 m |
| Franklin County | 75 | 123 | $4.2 m |
| Tuscarawas County | 53 | 105 | $2.4 m |
Households arriving report $1,247 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Medina 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.
Wayne County
What is the Wayne County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$8.95 bn
- County GDP, 2023$8.53 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.9 percent
- GDP change over five years32.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Ohio areas BEA publishes21st of 88
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes487th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$76,785
Output grew 4.9 percent in the latest year and 32.0 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.
Wayne County
Employment by industry in Wayne County
- Covered employment, annual average48,515
- Establishments reporting3,024
- Average annual pay$57,609
- Average weekly wage$1,108
- Manufacturing, employment13,921
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,375
- Retail trade, employment5,328
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,559
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,322
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,973
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,371
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,986
- Construction, employment2,540
- Management of companies and enterprises, employment1,628
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,921 | 339 | $69,375 |
| Retail trade | 5,328 | 378 | $35,559 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,322 | 254 | $51,973 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,371 | 200 | $20,986 |
| Construction | 2,540 | 385 | $65,713 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 1,628 | 18 | $138,869 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,624 | 169 | $70,765 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,169 | 121 | $59,766 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 13,921 jobs, 28.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wayne County
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
- Establishments, all industries2,583
- Employment at those establishments42,271
- Annual payroll$2.21 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.2
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.
Wayne County
Building permits in Wayne County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024282
- Declared construction value permitted$84.9 m
- Single family units authorized228
- Multifamily units authorized54
- Multifamily share of units19.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$301,229
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.4
Single-family homes are 80.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wayne County
SBA loans in Wayne County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded190
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$34.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$180,255
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$500,000
- Largest single approval$2,876,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)904
- Jobs per approval4.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active27
- Distinct industries receiving approvals87
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer4.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms9
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter179
- Franchise loans18
- Franchise share of approvals9.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (14)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (132)
- 504 approvals recorded9
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.8 m
- Average 504 approval$308,000
- Median 504 approval$241,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval5.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.1
- Most active CDCCascade Capital Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$37.0 m
The average approval of $180,255 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 4.7 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.
Wayne County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wayne County
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded57
- Paid in full53
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full53
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Cancelled18
- Status: Exempt from disclosure106
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed9
Of the 57 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Wayne County
SBA lending by place in Wayne County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending28
- Wooster, approvals61
- Orrville, approvals15
- Apple Creek, approvals10
- Dalton, approvals9
- West Salem, approvals9
- Shreve, approvals9
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wooster | 61 | $16,752,200 |
| Orrville | 15 | $2,595,200 |
| Apple Creek | 10 | $1,012,500 |
| Dalton | 9 | $1,881,400 |
| West Salem | 9 | $502,600 |
| Shreve | 9 | $499,500 |
| Doylestown | 8 | $1,822,400 |
| Marshallville | 8 | $389,600 |
| 20 other borrower cities | 61 | $8,793,100 |
Wooster accounts for 61 approvals against 15 in Orrville. 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.
Wayne County
How large is Wayne County?
- Land area555 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties14th of 88
- Width, east to west25.2 mi
- Height, north to south22.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land210
- Establishments per square mile4.65
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.
Wayne County
Flood risk in Wayne County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wayne County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 390574
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate76.9 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wayne 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 Wayne County (community 390574), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wayne 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. 76.9 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024116,588
- Households44,365
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$73,574
- Median age38.9
Common questions
Wayne County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wayne County, Ohio?
The Census Bureau estimates 116,632 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 116,588, in 44,365 households, ranking 24th of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wayne County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.21 percent since the 2020 census base of 116,875, to 116,632 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,388 births against 1,338 deaths, with net migration of -57. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
$73,574. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $222,100, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $881 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
2,583 establishments, employing 42,271 people with an annual payroll of $2.21 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 Wayne County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 13,921 jobs, 28.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 48,515 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,609, or $1,108 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wayne County?
190 7(a) approvals totaling $34.2 m since FY2020, across 27 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 9 504 approvals worth $2.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
Of the 57 loans that have reached a final outcome, 53 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Wayne County?
282 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $84.9 m. Multifamily was 19.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wayne 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 Wayne County come from?
The largest single origin is Medina County, with 310 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,069 against $54,316 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wayne 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 Wayne 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.
Wayne County
Cities and places in Wayne.
18 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wayne County. All 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooster | city | 26,971 | 61 | Wholly in this county |
| Orrville | city | 8,343 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Rittman | city | 6,044 | 7 | 84.3 percent here, 15.7 percent Medina County |
| Doylestown | village | 3,048 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Creston | village | 2,413 | 4 | 91.7 percent here, 8.3 percent Medina County |
| Dalton | village | 1,636 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Shreve | village | 1,552 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Smithville | village | 1,330 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| West Salem | village | 1,033 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Apple Creek | village | 963 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Marshallville | village | 707 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Kidron | CDP | 608 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fredericksburg | village | 452 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Sterling | CDP | 364 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Burbank | village | 334 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| New Pittsburg | CDP | 332 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Eaton | village | 135 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Congress | village | 93 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 31 of the county's 190 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Wayne County, the largest being Dundee (6), Barberton (5), Norton (4). 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