RANK #104 / 1001 NAT · #8 / 49 OH · POP 116,588
1YR FORECAST: -0.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +36%
Wayne County, Ohio, often recognized as the "gateway to Amish Country," offers a blend of rural charm and academic distinction. The county seat, Wooster, is home to the College of Wooster, a private liberal arts institution nationally recognized for its mentored undergraduate research and internationalized campus. Located approximately 60 miles southwest of Cleveland and 35 miles west of Akron and Canton, Wayne County provides access to larger metropolitan areas while maintaining a small-town atmosphere. Its landscape features rolling hills, lush woods, and agricultural land, with numerous parks and trails for outdoor recreation, including Secrest Arboretum and Wooster Memorial Park.
Life in Wayne County balances agricultural heritage with a growing economy. The county is home to one of the largest Amish populations in the United States, contributing to its distinctive cultural fabric. Major companies like The J.M. Smucker Co. and Morton Salt have operations here, alongside the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), the nation's largest ag-bioscience research facility. Public schools in Wayne County generally perform above average, and recent developments include the WayGo public transit service, offering fixed routes and demand-response options within Wooster and surrounding areas. This combination of educational opportunities, a diverse economy, and a focus on quality of life attracts families and individuals seeking a community with both rural character and modern amenities.
Wayne County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +4.3% YoY, population -0.0%, wages +3.4%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Harsh climate or flat terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 9.0x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Wayne County ranks #104 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 90/100. The composite score reflects long-term strength — housing, income, and migration patterns — but near-term hiring is soft (employment is down 0.7% year-over-year). Median household income here is $73,574.
Housing in Wayne County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $222,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.33, with rents averaging $881/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Population and employment in Wayne County are both close to flat — population -0.0% YoY and jobs -0.7%. Home values shifted +4.3% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.56% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Wayne County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.