Ottawa County, Ohio: commercial real estate data.
Ottawa County, Ohio has a population of 39,994 across 255 square miles, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $2.60 bn in 2024, 1,026 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 75 7(a) approvals worth $19.6 m.
128 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Ottawa County
How many people live in Ottawa County
- Population39,994
- Households18,504
- Average household size2.16
- Median household income$76,101
- Median age50.6
- Median gross rent$930 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$219,900
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher29.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over30,466
- Population under 187,015
- Share under 1817.5 percent
- Population 65 and over11,070
- Share 65 and over27.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,909
- Civilian labor force19,454
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.0 percent
- Rank by population among Ohio counties62nd of 88
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1204th
Ottawa County is the 62nd largest of 88 Ohio counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 27.7 percent against 17.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Ottawa County
Is Ottawa County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.66 percent
- Census 2020 base population40,361
- Births, 2024275
- Deaths, 2024580
- Natural change, 2024-305
- Net domestic migration, 2024149
- Net international migration, 202430
- Total net migration, 2024179
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024587
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2407th
The county has lost 1.66 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Ottawa County
Where people moving to Ottawa County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,215
- People arriving, from those returns2,016
- Adjusted gross income arriving$103.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$84,765
- Largest single originOttawa County Non-migrants (17,482 households)
- Largest single destination (17,482 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County Non-migrants | 17,482 | 32,349 | $1.44 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 266 | 481 | $26.8 m |
| Lucas County | 190 | 318 | $9.3 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 158 | 263 | $11.8 m |
| Wood County | 136 | 207 | $8.6 m |
| Sandusky County | 125 | 186 | $5.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 123 | 227 | $12.0 m |
| Cuyahoga County | 92 | 148 | $15.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Ottawa County Non-migrants, 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.
Ottawa County
What the Ottawa County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$2.60 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.65 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-2.1 percent
- GDP change over five years24.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Ohio counties56th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1084th
- GDP per resident$64,946
Output grew -2.1 percent in the latest year and 24.4 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.
Ottawa County
Who employs people in Ottawa County
- Covered employment, annual average14,146
- Establishments reporting1,226
- Average annual pay$53,467
- Average weekly wage$1,028
- Sector 72, employment2,348
- Sector 72, average annual pay$25,850
- Sector 31-33, employment2,028
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$74,198
- Sector 44-45, employment1,537
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,586
- Sector 23, employment751
- Sector 23, average annual pay$68,861
- Sector 71, employment663
- Sector 81, employment426
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 2,348 | 198 | $25,850 |
| Sector 31-33 | 2,028 | 48 | $74,198 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,537 | 136 | $35,586 |
| Sector 23 | 751 | 98 | $68,861 |
| Sector 71 | 663 | 65 | $34,780 |
| Sector 81 | 426 | 107 | $35,867 |
| Sector 48-49 | 361 | 43 | $49,009 |
| Sector 56 | 303 | 61 | $43,717 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 2,348 jobs, 16.6 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Ottawa County
What businesses operate in Ottawa County
- Establishments, all industries1,026
- Employment at those establishments10,686
- Annual payroll$571.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Ottawa County
What is being built in Ottawa County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024126
- Declared construction value permitted$67.2 m
- Single family units authorised122
- Multifamily units authorised4
- Multifamily share of units3.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$533,078
- Units authorised per 1,000 households6.8
Multifamily is 3.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Ottawa County
How much SBA lending happens in Ottawa County
- 7(a) approvals recorded75
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$19.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$260,804
- Median 7(a) approval$55,000
- 10th percentile approval$16,000
- 90th percentile approval$561,600
- Largest single approval$3,169,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)688
- Jobs per approval9.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals41
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter64
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals6.7 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (15)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (54)
- 504 approvals recorded20
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.0 m
- Average 504 approval$452,450
- Median 504 approval$388,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval5.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.9
- Most active CDCGrowth Capital Corp. (10)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals78.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$28.6 m
The average approval of $260,804 sits well above the median of $55,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 10.7 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.
Ottawa County
Do SBA loans in Ottawa County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded13
- Paid in full13
- Charged off0
- Charge off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure48
- Status: Paid in full13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed7
Of the 13 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Ottawa County
Which parts of Ottawa County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending11
- Port Clinton, approvals32
- LAKESIDE MARBLEHEAD, approvals8
- OAK HARBOR, approvals8
- Elmore, approvals7
- Marblehead, approvals6
- Graytown, approvals4
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Port Clinton | 32 | $10,297,700 |
| LAKESIDE MARBLEHEAD | 8 | $762,000 |
| OAK HARBOR | 8 | $935,000 |
| Elmore | 7 | $3,778,000 |
| Marblehead | 6 | $1,305,400 |
| Graytown | 4 | $220,000 |
| PUT IN BAY | 3 | $145,300 |
| Martin | 2 | $100,000 |
Port Clinton accounts for 32 approvals against 8 in LAKESIDE MARBLEHEAD. 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.
Ottawa County
How big is Ottawa County
- Land area255 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Ohio counties86th of 88
- Width, east to west37.3 mi
- Height, north to south18.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land157
- Establishments per square mile4.02
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.
Ottawa County
What hazards affect Ottawa County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate88.9 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Ottawa 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 Ottawa County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population39,994
- Households18,504
- Average household size2.16
- Median household income$76,101
- Median age50.6
Common questions
Ottawa County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Ottawa County, Ohio?
39,994, in 18,504 households, ranking 62nd of 88 Ohio counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Ottawa County growing?
The population has fallen 1.66 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 275 births against 580 deaths, with net migration of 179. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Ottawa County?
$76,101. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,900, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $930 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Ottawa County?
1,026 establishments, employing 10,686 people with an annual payroll of $571.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Ottawa County?
Average annual pay is $53,467, or $1,028 a week, across 14,146 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Ottawa County?
75 7(a) approvals totalling $19.6 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $55,000, plus 20 504 approvals worth $9.0 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Ottawa County get paid back?
Of the 13 loans that have reached a final outcome, 13 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Ottawa County?
126 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $67.2 m. Multifamily was 3.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Ottawa County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Ottawa County come from?
The largest single origin is Ottawa County Non-migrants, with 17,482 households. Arriving households report an average income of $84,765 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Ottawa 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 Ottawa County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.