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Living in
Fostoria.
About
Life in Fostoria
Fostoria is a community of 12,671 people in Ohio. The median household income is $54,151, median rent runs about $809 per month, and median home values are around $87,200. The average commute is 22.2 minutes.
Fostoria at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.4%
Foreign-Born
2.2%
Broadband Internet
90.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fostoria: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fostoria, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (39.4%), and 3.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.2%
of households
Married Couples
36.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
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 22% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Fostoria
In Fostoria, rent runs 22% below the OH average, and home values are 59% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,205
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1952
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $143,644 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above OH average
Unemployment in Fostoria
Unemployment in Seneca County, which includes Fostoria, is 0.4 percentage points higher than the OH average.
Unemployment rate
Fostoria: Seneca County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Seneca County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Fostoria Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.7 min avg
How Fostoria residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fostoria, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 36 mi
Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (TOL)
Regional airport · few flights67k passengers boarded in 2025
- 73 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 65% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fostoria runs 65% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
114.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
619.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fostoria Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
46.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Seneca County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Seneca County, which includes Fostoria, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $265,500 |
| 2021 | 4 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8,800 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $388,000 |
| 2018 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4,000 |
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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Seneca County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wood County, OH (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 18 miles from Fostoria) is typically good — 208 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
208
per year
Moderate Days
35
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Wood County, OH (18 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fostoria has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.7"
Annual Snowfall
29.5"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
123
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
130
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 19°F | 2.57" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 2.24" |
| Mar | 47°F | 29°F | 2.73" |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 3.82" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.10" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 4.20" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 3.91" |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 3.54" |
| Sep | 77°F | 54°F | 3.32" |
| Oct | 64°F | 43°F | 2.76" |
| Nov | 50°F | 33°F | 2.89" |
| Dec | 38°F | 25°F | 2.61" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fostoria
Fostoria has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Fostoria Community Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sojourn at Seneca Senior Behavioral Health Hospita
Psychiatric · 10.8 mi away · Tiffin
Mercy Health - Tiffin Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.8 mi away · Tiffin
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.
Education15.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fostoria
Fostoria's student/teacher ratio is 15.6:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 9.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
9.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fostoria (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,223 students · in-state tuition $41,400 · 59% graduate · median earnings $63,283 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,051 students · in-state tuition $36,500 · 49% graduate · median earnings $37,551 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 915 students · in-state tuition $35,233 · 52% graduate · median earnings $56,874 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial, 46 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fostoria
Fostoria has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (46 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
46 mi awayRiver Raisin National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
52 mi awayCuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fostoria
Kaubisch Memorial Public Library
205 Perry St., Fostoria
Cities Near Fostoria
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fostoria?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fostoria FAQ
Is Fostoria, Ohio affordable?⌄
Fostoria's median rent is $809/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $54,151/year. Median home value is $87,200.
Is Fostoria, Ohio safe?⌄
Fostoria's violent crime rate was 115 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 620 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fostoria, Ohio?⌄
Seneca County, which includes Fostoria, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fostoria, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Fostoria is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $809/month and median household income is $54,151/year. The median home value is $87,200. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fostoria, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Fostoria is 23 minutes, which is about 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