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Living in
Wooster.
About
Life in Wooster
Wooster is a genuinely livable mid-sized city where you can afford a house without feeling like you're compromising too much on amenities or job prospects. The median home price of $214,200 and median rent of $918 are both reasonable, and the unemployment rate sits at a healthy 3.9%. The economy isn't built on one industry—you've got manufacturing (LuK transmissions, Akron Brass), food production (Frito-Lay, Daisy Brand), and education anchoring things, which means some stability if one sector dips.
Wooster at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.2%
Foreign-Born
6.2%
Broadband Internet
90.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.2% foreign-born, most often from Brazil
Who lives in Wooster: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wooster, the largest foreign-born group is from Brazil (11.5%), and 1.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.3%
of households
Married Couples
44.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.11
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 11% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Wooster
In Wooster, rent runs 11% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,623
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $263,113 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below OH average
Unemployment in Wooster
Unemployment in Wooster is 0.6 percentage points lower than the OH average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Wooster Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.4 min avg
How Wooster residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wooster, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Akron Canton Regional Airport (CAK)
Regional airport · few flights471k passengers boarded in 2025
- 43 mi
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Medium hub4.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 122 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 32% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Wooster runs 32% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
222.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,437.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wooster Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
64.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Wayne County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Wayne County, which includes Wooster, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $863,000 |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $105,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Storm | $178,500 |
| 2021 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 6 | High Wind | $4,000 |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8.6M |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $228,000 |
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
Wayne County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Medina County, OH (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 21 miles from Wooster) is typically good — 249 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
249
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Medina County, OH (21 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wooster has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
38°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
42.0"
Annual Snowfall
28.6"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
130
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
142
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 18°F | 2.59" |
| Feb | 38°F | 20°F | 2.04" |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 2.98" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 4.04" |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 4.53" |
| Jun | 80°F | 57°F | 4.77" |
| Jul | 84°F | 61°F | 4.41" |
| Aug | 82°F | 59°F | 3.87" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.58" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 3.49" |
| Nov | 51°F | 32°F | 2.96" |
| Dec | 40°F | 24°F | 2.72" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wooster
Wooster has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Wooster Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Aultman Orrville Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Orrville
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.
Education18.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wooster
Wooster's student/teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 36.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
36.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Wooster
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,730 students · in-state tuition $64,210 · 75% graduate · median earnings $62,339 (10 yrs after entry)
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute
Public · 2-year · 464 students · in-state tuition $9,866 · 55% graduate · median earnings $67,080 (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: First Ladies National Historic Site, 29 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wooster
Wooster has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being First Ladies National Historic Site (29 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
First Ladies National Historic Site
National Historic Site
29 mi awayCuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
36 mi awayJames A Garfield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
66 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
74 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wooster
Wayne County Public Library
220 W. Liberty St., Wooster
Cities Near Wooster
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wooster?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wooster FAQ
Is Wooster, Ohio affordable?⌄
Wooster's median rent is $918/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $66,898/year. Median home value is $214,200.
Is Wooster, Ohio safe?⌄
Wooster's violent crime rate was 223 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1438 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wooster, Ohio?⌄
Wooster has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wooster, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Wooster is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $918/month and median household income is $66,898/year. The median home value is $214,200. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wooster, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Wooster is 17 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