Portage County, OH

County

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2023 Population

161,421

0.127% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bernie Moreno

Republican Party

US Senator

Jon Husted

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

39.3

0.512% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.4%

0.899% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$72,822

4.34% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$210,500

6.8% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

82,775

0.811% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Portage County, OH had a population of 161k people with a median age of 39.3 and a median household income of $72,822. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Portage County, OH grew from 161,217 to 161,421, a 0.127% increase and its median household income grew from $69,796 to $72,822, a 4.34% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Portage County, OH are White (Non-Hispanic) (86.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.63%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.17%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.73%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.714%).

None of the households in Portage County, OH reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Portage County, OH are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Portage County, OH are Kent State University at Kent (6,840 degrees awarded in 2022), Northeast Ohio Medical University (276 degrees), and Hiram College (221 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Portage County, OH was $210,500, and the homeownership rate was 70.1%.

Most people in Portage County, OH drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Portage County, OH was 2 cars per household.

Portage County, OH borders Cuyahoga County, OH, Geauga County, OH, Mahoning County, OH, Stark County, OH, Summit County, OH, and Trumbull County, OH.

United States Ohio Akron, OH

Population & Diversity

Portage County, OH is home to a population of 161k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.41% of Portage County, OH residents were born outside of the country (5.51k people).

In 2023, there were 18.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (140k people) in Portage County, OH than any other race or ethnicity. There were 7.48k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 6.74k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

98.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.2% of Portage County, OH residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Portage County, OH was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Portage County, OH compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Portage County, OH

White (Non-Hispanic)
140k ± 671
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
7.48k ± 544
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
6.74k ± 891

2.22%

Hispanic Population

3.59k people

2.22% of the people in Portage County, OH are hispanic (3.59k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Portage County, OH as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Ohio.

Most Common Origin

India
65,962 ± 6,288 people
Mexico
43,233 ± 5,095 people
China
34,193 ± 4,533 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Ohio was India, the natal country of 65,962 Ohio residents, followed by Mexico with 43,233 and China with 34,193.

Foreign-Born Population

3.41%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

5.51k people

3.11%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

5.02k people

As of 2023, 3.41% of Portage County, OH residents (5.51k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Portage County, OH was 3.11%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Portage County, OH compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,142 ± 342
Gulf War (2001-)
1,430 ± 304
Gulf War (1990s)
1,015 ± 226

Portage County, OH has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.2 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Portage County, OH employs 82.8k people. The largest industries in Portage County, OH are Manufacturing (12,997 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (10,624 people), and Retail Trade (10,238 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($70,946), Utilities ($69,091), and Finance & Insurance ($65,231).

Males in Ohio have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,975. The income inequality in Ohio (measured using the Gini index) is 0.456, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

82.8k

2023 Value

± 2,417

−0.811%

1 Year decline

± 4.15%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Portage County, OH declined at a rate of −0.811%, from 83.5k employees to 82.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Portage County, OH, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,798 people), Management Occupations (8,254 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (7,367 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Portage County, OH.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Ohio (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

82.8k

2023 Value

± 2,417

−0.811%

1 Year decline

± 4.15%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Portage County, OH declined at a rate of −0.811%, from 83.5k employees to 82.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Portage County, OH, are Manufacturing (12,997 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (10,624 people), and Retail Trade (10,238 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Portage County, OH, though some of these residents may live in Portage County, OH and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,263

Median earning men ± $1,772

$35,549

Median earning women ± $1,268

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($82,601), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($67,870), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,349).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($52,629), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,032), and Information ($48,259).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Y-Axis

1.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 5.51M people employed in Ohio. This represents a 1.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 15.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Ohio.

Establishments by Size

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$665k
Manufacturing
$300k
Wholesale Trade
$269k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Portage County, OH went to Donald J. Trump with 55.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.09%).

Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted are the senators currently representing the state of Ohio. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Ohio is currently represented by 15 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (55.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (43%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.09%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Portage County, OH went to Donald J. Trump with 55.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.09%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Portage County, OH for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Ohio

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Bernie Moreno

Senator from Ohio

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Jon Husted

Senator from Ohio

Assumed office on January 21, 2025
While elections for full class 3 terms will take place in 2028, Ohio will hold a special election in 2026 to elect a senator to complete the remainder of JD Vance's term.

Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted are the senators currently representing Ohio.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Ohio over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Ohio

Ohio is currently represented by 15 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Ohio have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Portage County, OH awarded 7,337 degrees. The student population of Portage County, OH in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 10,483 male students and 17,390 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Portage County, OH are White (5,453 and 77.8%), followed by Black or African American (587 and 8.38%), Hispanic or Latino (257 and 3.67%), and Two or More Races (243 and 3.47%).

The largest universities in Portage County, OH by number of degrees awarded are Kent State University at Kent (6,840 and 93.2%), Northeast Ohio Medical University (276 and 3.76%), and Hiram College (221 and 3.01%).

The most popular majors in Portage County, OH are Registered Nursing (727 and 9.91%), General Business Administration & Management (365 and 4.97%), and General Psychology (353 and 4.81%).

The median tuition costs in Portage County, OH are $25,500 for private four year colleges, and $11,218 and $20,132 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Portage County, OH, the percentage of applicants admitted was 88.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 27,873 (37.6% men and 62.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 27,873 students enrolled in Portage County, OH, 37.6% men and 62.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 19,800 records, of which 63.5% were women and 36.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
556 degrees awarded
General Psychology
353 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
298 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Portage County, OH was Registered Nursing with 556 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Portage County, OH according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Kent State University at Kent
6,840 degrees awarded
Northeast Ohio Medical University
276 degrees awarded
Hiram College
221 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kent State University at Kent with 6,840 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 2,591 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Portage County, OH, which is 0.546 times less than the 4,746 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,453 degrees mean that there were 9.29 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 587 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($25,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($155) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Measure

In 2022, 0.724% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.686% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Ohio.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (3.05M), Some college (1.98M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Portage County, OH was $210,500 in 2023, which is 0.694 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $197,100 to $210,500, a 6.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Portage County, OH is 70.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Portage County, OH have an average commute time of 25.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Portage County, OH is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Portage County, OH is $72,822. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Portage County, OH was Census Tract 6003.02 with a value of $138,681, followed by Census Tract 6007.05 and Census Tract 6004.02, with respective values of $97,054 and $95,883.

In 2023, 13.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Portage County, OH. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

Housing

Property

$210,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,641

$45,284

Median Property Taxes

±$1,583

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Portage County, OH the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Portage County, OH compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.1%

Homeownership

2023

61.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.1% of the housing units in Portage County, OH were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Portage County, OH compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 6003.02
Census Tract 6007.05
Census Tract 6004.02

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Portage County, OH was Census Tract 6003.02 with a value of $138,681, followed by Census Tract 6007.05 and Census Tract 6004.02, with respective values of $97,054 and $95,883.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Portage County, OH colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,822

Median Household Income

± $2,759

64.6k

Number of Households

± 2,025

In 2023, the median household income of the 64.6k households in Portage County, OH grew to $72,822 from the previous year's value of $69,796.

The following chart displays the households in Portage County, OH distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Portage County, OH is from Ohio.

0.456

2022 Wage GINI in Ohio

0.456

2021 Wage GINI in Ohio

In 2022, the income inequality in Ohio was 0.456 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0361% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Ohio was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Ohio in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Ohio across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.5%)
Worked At Home (13.5%)
Carpooled (6.53%)

In 2023, 75.5% of workers in Portage County, OH drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.5%) and those who carpooled to work (6.53%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Portage County, OH have a shorter commute time (25.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.55% of the workforce in Portage County, OH have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Portage County, OH compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Portage County, OH distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Portage County, OH have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Portage County, OH. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Portage County, OH (17.6k out of 154k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Portage County, OH is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 15.7% of the children was living in poverty in Portage County, OH. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.8% of the population of Portage County, OH has health coverage, with 53.8% on employee plans, 15% on Medicaid, 14.2% on Medicare, 10.9% on non-group plans, and 0.861% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Portage County, OH see 2391 patients per year on average, which represents a 11.7% decrease from the previous year (2708 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1980 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 425 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,391 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Portage County, OH

Primary care physicians in Portage County, OH see an average of 2,391 patients per year. This represents a 11.7% decrease from the previous year (2,708 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Portage County, OH in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.8% under 18 years, 24.6% between 18 and 34 years, 37.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.6% were men and 51.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.21%

Uninsured

53.8%

Employer Coverage

15%

Medicaid

14.2%

Medicare

10.9%

Non-Group

0.861%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Portage County, OH declined by 4.94% from 5.48% to 5.21%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Portage County, OH changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 55.4 in Portage County, OH.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Portage County, OH.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.1% in Portage County, OH.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Portage County, OH.