Median Income
$51,412
household / year
Median Home Value
$99,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$750
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100

Is Van Wert, OH a Good Place to Live?

Van Wert is a small city of 10,828 in Ohio, with a median household income of $51,412 and a 4.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Van Wert stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Van Wert is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Van Wert city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 88.0

Van Wert's overall cost of living index is 88.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Van Wert costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric Van Wert, OH National Avg
Median Home Value $99,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $750 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 67.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $51,412 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Van Wert's violent crime rate is 236.0 per 100,000 residents — 38% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
236.0 /100k
Property Crime
3249.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Van Wert is served primarily by Van Wert City. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Van Wert, OH National Avg
School District Van Wert City
Elementary Schools 2
Middle Schools 1
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 91.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Van Wert sees average highs of 32.5°F in January and 84.5°F in July, with 40.4 inches of annual precipitation and 17.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricVan Wert, OH
Average High — January32.5°F
Average High — July84.5°F
Annual Precipitation40.4"
Annual Snowfall17.1"

Demographics

MetricVan Wert, OHNational Avg
Population10,828
Median Age40.538.9
Unemployment Rate4.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time16.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.1%18.9%
Asian0.1%6.3%
Under 1823.7%22.2%
65 and over19.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Van Wert

Van Wert, OH is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Van Wert vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Van Wert's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Van Wert roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $99,500 and median rent is $750/month.
Van Wert's violent crime rate is 236.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3249.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Van Wert are operated by Van Wert City. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.6:1. 17.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Van Wert, OH has a population of 10,828, a median household income of $51,412, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Van Wert averages 32.5°F in January and 84.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.4 inches with about 17.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Van Wert, OH is covered by 1 ZIP code: 45891.
The population of Van Wert, Ohio is 10,828 with a median age of 40.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Van Wert: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $99,500, median household income $51,412, crime index 99 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Van Wert side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.