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Living in
Bellefontaine.
About
Life in Bellefontaine
If you're considering a move to Bellefontaine, you're looking at a genuinely affordable small city about 48 miles northwest of Columbus—think median home values around $180,500 and median rent under $850 a month, which means your housing dollar stretches significantly further than in Ohio's larger metros. The job market is modest but stable, with unemployment hovering around 4.3%, and you'll have reasonable commutes averaging just 18.4 minutes, though like most smaller Midwest towns, you'll definitely need a car to get around. The community skews family-oriented with a median age of 36 and nearly 25% of residents under 18, so you'll find a fair number of households with kids and schools that serve about 2,840 students across four public buildings, plus vocational and community college options if you're looking at post-secondary work.
Bellefontaine at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.1%
Foreign-Born
3.2%
Broadband Internet
91.7%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.2% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Bellefontaine: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bellefontaine, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (31.7%), and 1.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.8%
of residents
65 and Older
17.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.9%
of households
Married Couples
34.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.20
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Bellefontaine
In Bellefontaine, rent runs 17% below the OH average, and home values are 16% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,711
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $243,105 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OH
Unemployment in Bellefontaine
Unemployment in Logan County, which includes Bellefontaine, is close to the OH average.
Unemployment rate
Bellefontaine: Logan County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Logan County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Bellefontaine Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.6 min avg
How Bellefontaine residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bellefontaine, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY)
Small hub638k passengers boarded in 2025
- 52 mi
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
Medium hub4.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 130 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 46% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bellefontaine runs 46% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
177.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
439.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bellefontaine Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
53.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Logan County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Logan County, which includes Bellefontaine, the most common type is winter weather, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Winter Weather | $18,250 |
| 2024 | 11 | Flood | $5.0M |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $299,500 |
| 2021 | 8 | Winter Weather | $13,000 |
| 2020 | 20 | Winter Weather | $58,500 |
| 2019 | 28 | Winter Weather | $1.1M |
| 2018 | 11 | Winter Weather | $2,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Logan County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clark County, OH (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 31 miles from Bellefontaine) is typically good — 223 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
223
per year
Moderate Days
138
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Clark County, OH (31 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bellefontaine has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
42.6"
Annual Snowfall
25.8"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
127
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
141
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 18°F | 3.04" |
| Feb | 37°F | 20°F | 2.46" |
| Mar | 48°F | 29°F | 3.20" |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 4.11" |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.31" |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 4.96" |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 4.45" |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 3.90" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 64°F | 43°F | 2.82" |
| Nov | 50°F | 32°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 38°F | 24°F | 3.08" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Mary Rutan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 15.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
15.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, 44 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (44 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
National Historical Park
44 mi awayCharles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
46 mi awayHopewell Culture National Historical Park
National Historical Park
81 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bellefontaine
Logan County District Library
220 N Main St, Bellefontaine
Cities Near Bellefontaine
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bellefontaine?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bellefontaine FAQ
Is Bellefontaine, Ohio affordable?⌄
Bellefontaine's median rent is $857/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,806/year. Median home value is $180,500.
Is Bellefontaine, Ohio safe?⌄
Bellefontaine's violent crime rate was 177 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 440 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bellefontaine, Ohio?⌄
Logan County, which includes Bellefontaine, has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bellefontaine, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Bellefontaine is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $857/month and median household income is $58,806/year. The median home value is $180,500. About 31% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bellefontaine, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Bellefontaine is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from