City · Ohio
Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin, city, in Lorain County, Ohio. Oberlin had 8,603 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,555 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,329 (±27). GEOID 3957834.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,603
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,555 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,329 ±27
Median household income
$81,308
±$7,364 (90% margin)
Ohio: $71,389
Median home value
$225,600
±$15,955 (90% margin)
Ohio: $214,800
Median gross rent
$995
±$128 (90% margin)
Ohio: $1,034
Where is Oberlin and what county is it in?
Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio. It covers 4.9 square miles of land, 1,737 residents per square mile in 2020.
Oberlin is in the Cleveland, OH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Oberlin, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,603 people lived in Oberlin on July 1, 2025, about level with 2020, slower than Ohio (+0.9%). The 2020 Census counted 8,555 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,329 (±27).
| Measure | Oberlin | Lorain County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,329 ±27 | 317,129 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,457 ±242 | 127,544 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.21 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,728 ±260 | 136,548 | no clear change |
Oberlin's population since 2000
From 8,195 in 2000 to 8,603 in 2025: up 5.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Oberlin as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Oberlin?
The median resident of Oberlin is 27.3 years old; 11.2% are under 18 and 20.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 67.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 11.6%. 6.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Oberlin | Lorain County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.3 ±4.6 | 42.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.2% ±2.3 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.7% ±3.0 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 45.3% ±3.3 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.1% ±2.2 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 67.9% ±4.2 pts | 75.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 11.6% ±2.9 pts | 7.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±1.9 pts | 1.4% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±2.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.7% ±2.4 pts | 3.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.4% ±3.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±1.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 13.7% ±2.1 pts | 15.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.9% ±1.9 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.0% ±2.6 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 53.8% ±6.2 pts | 28.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 38.3% ±5.7 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 78.1% ±2.8 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.2% ±2.0 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Oberlin earn?
Half of Oberlin's 2,457 households earn less than $81,308 a year (±$7,364), against $73,347 in Lorain County and $71,389 in Ohio. In 2015-2019 the median was $62,161 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $19,147 after inflation. 16.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Oberlin | Lorain County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,308 ±$7,364 | $73,347 | +$19,147 |
| Mean household income | $98,720 ±$9,660 | $98,714 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,995 ±$4,076 | $40,798 | +$5,533 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.1% ±3.9 pts | 12.1% | −12.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.5% ±11.1 pts | 17.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.3% ±3.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.8% ±2.4 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.9% ±3.8 pts | 88.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Oberlin?
Owners occupy 58.2% of Oberlin's occupied homes and renters 41.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,600 by its owner (±$15,955). The median renter pays $995 a month including utilities, and 38.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Oberlin | Lorain County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $225,600 ±$15,955 | $223,200 | +$27,581 |
| Median gross rent | $995 ±$128 | $966 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.3% ±9.0 pts | 38.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,423 ±$222 | $1,525 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 58.2% ±5.4 pts | 74.0% | +7.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 41.8% ±5.4 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Housing units | 2,728 ±260 | 136,548 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.6% ±6.7 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.0% ±5.7 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.1 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.5% ±1.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.8% ±5.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.9% ±3.4 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Oberlin building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Oberlin in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 0.5 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Ohio.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Oberlin work and get to work?
50.2% of Oberlin's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.6%.
| Measure | Oberlin | Lorain County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.3% ±3.4 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% ±2.6 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 50.2% ±7.0 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7% ±3.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 25.2% ±4.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2% ±3.3 pts | 11.7% | +5.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.9 min ±2.0 | 25.4 min | +2.7 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Oberlin?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Oberlin, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $76,324 (Tract 601) to $91,544 (Tract 602).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Oberlin) · Census block assignment files
How does Oberlin compare with other places in Ohio?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Oberlin is the 3,564th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 194th-most populous of 923 in Ohio.
Oberlin ranks 619th of 1,699 places in Ohio with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 194th | 923 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 783rd | 1,589 |
| Residents per square mile | 300th | 1,734 |
| Median household income | 619th | 1,699 |
| Per capita income | 1,122nd | 1,729 |
| Median home value | 609th | 1,707 |
| Median gross rent | 509th | 1,453 |
| Poverty rate | 301st | 1,116 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 116th | 1,613 |
| Median age | 1,695th | 1,727 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,574th | 1,732 |
| Work from home | 438th | 990 |
| Travel time to work | 1,667th | 1,731 |
Oberlin's figures with every place in Ohio (CSV)
Every place in Ohio, sortable · Compare Oberlin with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Oberlin?
9 of the 57 figures for Oberlin on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Oberlin are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Oberlin.