City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Lima, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lima - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

35,304
Residents
$43,370
Median income
$95,900
Median home
$1,108
Median rent (state)

Lima - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lima lands in the 11th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
8th
percentile, home value
29th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lima, OH

Lima is a small city in Ohio, home to 35,304 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lima households earn a median of $43,370 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.2%. Typical homes in Lima are valued around $95,900, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. 11.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 6 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 94% from five years earlier. Lima's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4127.1 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Ohio scores 92.8 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,108 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Ohio run around $228, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Lima workers runs 16.6 minutes, with 80.5% driving alone and 3.1% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 73.3 out of 100 (High).

Population

35,304 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$43,370 /yr

Poverty 21.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Lima compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lima stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 8% pricier than other cities
Median rent 29% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Ohio alone, Lima ranks #265 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lima's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

11thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lima's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lima's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Lima's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lima's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$95,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 92% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lima $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lima, OH Lima, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lima, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lima, OH median $43,370/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lima, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lima, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 11.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
35,304
Median Income
$43,370
Median Home Value
$95,900
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
21.2%
Labor force participation
52.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4127.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
758.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3368.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
22
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
34,500 residents35,000 residents35,500 residents36,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 35,476 residents 34,695 residents ▼ -2.2%
Lima's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 103
2020 51
2021 60
2022 22
2023 3
2024 6

Permit volume decreased 94% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.6 minutes
Drive Alone
80.5%
Carpool
10.3%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
3.1%
Other
3.0%

Based on 14,186 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lima sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,108/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Brunswick
35,284 people
Gahanna
35,438 people
Mason
35,148 people
Marion
35,771 people
North Ridgeville
36,043 people
Fairborn
34,506 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lima's 35,304 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

American Fork, UT
35,312 people
Mount Vernon, WA
35,312 people
Hinesville, GA
35,282 people
Watertown, MA
35,270 people
Calumet City, IL
35,253 people
Orangevale, CA
35,219 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lima's $43,370 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Norwood, LA
$43,370 median income
Deer Creek, IN
$43,371 median income
Kimmell, IN
$43,367 median income
Clinton, IN
$43,374 median income
Akron, AL
$43,375 median income
Mertens, TX
$43,365 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lima, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lima, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.0% 23.5% 9.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 64.0% Black or African American 23.5% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 9.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lima compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lima (this city) 35,304 $43,370
Brunswick 35,284 $85,313
Gahanna 35,438 $106,004
Mason 35,148 $124,407
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lima, OH?

What is the population of Lima, OH? +

Lima, OH counts 35,304 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lima, OH? +

The median household income in Lima is $43,370 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lima? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lima; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Lima, OH safe? +

Lima has a total crime rate of 4127.1 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lima, OH? +

A typical home in Lima is worth $95,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.