County

Highland County, Ohio

Ohio · 43,823 residents (July 2025 estimate) · 7 ZIP codes · 26 cities, villages and townships

43,823 people (July 2025 estimate), +1.2% since the 2020 census; life expectancy 73.1 years; median household income $62,366 (2024). The county in numbers

Highland County, Ohio

Highland County in numbers

The public records that are kept county by county, in 18 blocks. Every figure names its source; a tile's small line gives the comparison or the date.

Population

How many people live here, how the count has moved since 2020 and since 1900, and how the USDA classes the county.

residents, July 2025 estimate
43,823
Census Bureau vintage 2025
since the April 2020 census
+1.2%
43,317 counted in 2020
births since April 2020
2,603
deaths since April 2020
2,950
net migration since April 2020
+808
people who moved in, minus people who moved out
net domestic migration, 2025
+139
moved in from elsewhere in the U.S., minus moved out
net international migration, 2025
+1

Highland County has never had more people than it has today.

It is 1.4 times its 1900 size.

USDA rural-urban continuum code 6 of 9 (1 is the most metropolitan): nonmetro - urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, adjacent to a metro area.

USDA ERS county typology (2015 codes): a nonmetro county with a nonspecialized economy, with none of the ERS distress flags.

Highland County population by census year (Census Bureau)
YearPeopleSource
18105,766first census that counted the county
185025,781decennial census
190030,982decennial census
195028,188decennial census
197028,996decennial census
200040,853decennial census
202043,317decennial census
202543,823July estimate

Source: Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (vintage 2025, join_popest.py); decennial counts 1900-1990 from 'Population of States and Counties of the United States 1790-1990', 2000/2010 from intercensal files; USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023; USDA ERS county typology codes, 2015 edition · Census population estimates · USDA ERS county codes · USDA ERS county typology · About this topic

Moving in and out

Households that changed county between the tax returns they filed in 2022 and 2023, counted by the IRS.

households moved in, 2022 to 2023
1,835
tax returns filed from a new county
households moved out
1,709
net households
+126
moved in, minus moved out
households stayed put
32,724
Where arriving households came from (IRS returns, 2022 to 2023)
FromHouseholds
Clinton, OH321
Fayette, OH237
Ross, OH159
Where leaving households went (IRS returns, 2022 to 2023)
ToHouseholds
Clinton, OH283
Fayette, OH184
Brown, OH146

Source: IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration flows, 2022-2023 · IRS migration data · About this topic

Income and poverty

The Census Bureau's 2024 small-area estimates for the county.

of residents below the poverty line, 2024
14.6%
of children below the poverty line, 2024
17.1%
median household income, 2024
$62,366

Source: Census SAIPE 2024 county estimates · Census SAIPE · About this topic

Jobs and wages

Unemployment in the latest month and what employers in the county pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

unemployment rate, July 2026
4.0%
5.1% a year earlier
people in the labor force, July 2026
19,690
looking for work
782
average weekly wage, first quarter of 2026
$924
+4.3% on the year
jobs covered by unemployment insurance
10,997
+2.7% on the year
establishments
858
Largest private sectors, first quarter of 2026 (BLS QCEW)
SectorJobsAverage weekly wage
manufacturing1,759$1,133
retail1,644$613
health care and social assistance1,231$943

Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics; BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2026 Q1 · BLS local unemployment · BLS QCEW · About this topic

The county economy

What the county produces and earns, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

real GDP, 2024 (2017 dollars)
$1.4 billion
+7.4% since 2019
personal income per person, 2024
$47,977
79th of Ohio's 88 counties
change in income per person since 2019
+29%
before inflation

Source: BEA regional accounts: county GDP (CAGDP1), per capita personal income (CAINC1), 2024 · BEA county GDP · About this topic

Federal money

What the federal government obligated to the county in fiscal 2025, by county of performance; Social Security, Medicare and most benefits are not counted.

in federal contracts performed in the county, fiscal 2025
$14 million
$325 a resident
in federal grants, fiscal 2025
$55 million
$1,272 a resident
in federal loans and loan guarantees
-$38,178
in direct federal payments to people and organizations
$267 million

Source: USAspending federal awards by county of performance, fiscal 2025 · USAspending · About this topic

Health rankings

County Health Rankings 2025 measures for the county, with the Ohio figure alongside.

life expectancy at birth
73.1 years
Ohio 75.2
years of life lost before 75, per 100,000 (premature death)
11,713.9
Ohio 9,740
population health group among U.S. counties
6 of 10
1 is healthiest
community conditions group among U.S. counties
6 of 10
1 is best
of children in poverty
18.0%
Ohio 17.5%
uninsured
8.6%
Ohio 7.1%

No community water system in the county had a health-based drinking water violation in the rankings' reporting year.

County Health Rankings 2025: Highland County and Ohio
MeasureHighland CountyOhio
Life expectancy at birth (years)73.175.2
Years of potential life lost before 75, per 100,000 (premature death)11,713.99,740
Adults in fair or poor health22.9%17.9%
Uninsured8.6%7.1%
Children in poverty18.0%17.5%
Median household income$61,760$67,873
Income inequality (80th to 20th percentile household income ratio)4.44.6
Households with severe housing problems11.1%12.7%
People per primary care physician3,6131,328
People per mental health provider415286
People per dentist2,0661,535
Preventable hospital stays per 100,000 Medicare enrollees2,3323,033
Medicare enrollees with a flu vaccination39%51%
Injury deaths per 100,00097.6100.7
Suicides per 100,00014.714.7
Child deaths per 100,000 (under 18)85.159.2
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births9.37.0
Teen births per 1,000 females 15 to 1924.317.4
Average daily fine-particle pollution (PM2.5, µg/m³)8.37.8
Any drinking water violation in the countyNo
Population used by the rankings43,614
Population health group (1 to 10 among U.S. counties; 1 is healthiest)6
Community conditions group (1 to 10 among U.S. counties; 1 is best)6

Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps 2025 (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute) · County Health Rankings · About this topic

Cancer

New cancers and cancer deaths per 100,000 people, age-adjusted, from the National Cancer Institute's State Cancer Profiles.

new cancers a year per 100,000 people, age-adjusted, 2018 to 2022
481.1
Ohio 472.9 · U.S. 448.6
cases a year
279
incidence trend
stable
cancer deaths a year per 100,000, age-adjusted, 2019 to 2023
184.8
Ohio 160.3 · U.S. 145.4
cancer deaths a year
112
death-rate trend
stable
Cancer incidence by site, 2018 to 2022 (NCI State Cancer Profiles)
SitePer 100,000OhioCases a yearTrend
Lung85.963.654stable
Colorectal42.938.424stable
Female breast113.9133.034stable
Prostate96.5120.829stable
Leukemia13.413.08stable
Bladder20.021.812stable

Source: NCI State Cancer Profiles, county incidence 2018-2022 and mortality 2019-2023 · NCI cancer profiles · About this topic

Drug overdoses

Provisional overdose death counts by county from the CDC, 12 months at a time.

overdose deaths in the 12 months ending February 2025
10
CDC provisional count
deaths per 100,000 residents
22.9
Ohio 20.8 in the 12 months ending December 2025
deaths a year earlier
10
highest 12-month total since 2020
23
12 months ending May 2022

The county count has been suppressed (1 to 9 deaths) in every month after February 2025.

Source: CDC NCHS provisional county drug overdose deaths, 12-month-ending counts; CDC VSRR for the Ohio row · CDC overdose data · About this topic

Medicare

Who in the county is on Medicare and how they are covered, from CMS enrollment counts.

people on Medicare, 2025
10,263
23% of residents
aged 65 or over
8,734
younger people with disabilities
1,529
chose a Medicare Advantage plan
56.2%
also on Medicaid
19.7%
with Part D drug coverage
81.9%
enrollment since 2020
+4.3%
9,843 enrollees then

Source: CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment by county, 2025 · CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment · About this topic

Severe weather

Hail, wind, flooding and tornado reports logged for the county in NOAA's Storm Events database.

severe weather reports, 2016 to 2026
160
NOAA Storm Events log
in reported damage
$2 million
largest hail
2.50 in
May 16, 2025
strongest measured gust
61 mph
June 10, 2020

The costliest event was tornadoes on March 3, 2023, $1 million in damage. The tornado first touched down in a field southwest of Certier Road, about three miles northeast of Buford. This tornado affected a property on Certier Road, ca…

Severe weather reports by kind, 2016 to 2026 (NOAA Storm Events)
KindReports
damaging thunderstorm wind98
flash floods18
river and street flooding18
hail17
Zone-wide advisories by kind, 2016 to 2026 (NOAA Storm Events)
KindReports
winter weather32
winter storms12
high wind5

Source: NOAA Storm Events database, 2016-2026 · NOAA storm events · About this topic

Weather warnings

Every warning, watch and advisory the National Weather Service has issued for the county since 2015.

tornado warnings since 2015
32
severe thunderstorm warnings
237
flash flood warnings
25
winter storm or blizzard warnings
17
warnings, watches and advisories in all
1,084
National Weather Service products for Highland County since 2015 (Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive)
ProductCount
Tornado Warning32
Tornado Watch32
Severe Thunderstorm Warning237
Flash Flood Warning25
Areal Flood Warning14
Areal Flood Advisory132
Winter Storm Warning17
Winter Weather Advisory83
Excessive Heat Warning5
Heat Advisory35
Extreme Cold Warning2
Wind Chill Warning2
Snow Squall Warning6
Tornado warnings by year
YearWarnings
20152
20161
20172
20181
20191
20203
20211
20222
20237
20242
20255
20265

Source: National Weather Service warnings/watches/advisories, Iowa Environmental Mesonet VTEC archive, since 2015 · IEM warning archive · About this topic

Drought

How often the U.S. Drought Monitor has put the county in drought since 2000.

weeks in moderate drought or worse since 2020
26
of them severe or worse
7
most recently 7 weeks in 2024
weeks at least abnormally dry since 2020
55
of all weeks since 2000 in drought
7%

The worst reading since 2000 was extreme drought in September 2024.

As of September 1, 2026: no drought.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor weekly county statistics, 2000-2026 · U.S. Drought Monitor · About this topic

Hazard mitigation

FEMA-funded projects in the county that reduce future flood, storm and other losses: buyouts, plans, studies and equipment.

hazard mitigation project since 2004
1
FEMA grants
total project worth
$26,544
$19,067 federal

Largest: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan for Highland (County), $26,544 (fiscal 2004).

Mitigation projects by type since 2004 (OpenFEMA)
Project typeProjects
Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan1

Source: OpenFEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance projects, v4 API · OpenFEMA · About this topic

Air toxics

The EPA's modeled lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics across the county.

lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics
30 in a million
EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Mostly formaldehyde (17.9 in a million) and carbon tetrachloride (2.9 in a million).

Source: EPA AirToxScreen 2020 · EPA AirToxScreen · About this topic

Fluoridated water

The share of county residents on community water whose water is fluoridated, from the Ohio Department of Health.

of residents on community water receive fluoridated water
89.1%

Source: Ohio Department of Health county fluoridation profiles (DataOhio) · ODH fluoridation report (DataOhio) · EPA SDWIS search · About this topic

Rail accidents

Accidents railroads reported to the Federal Railroad Administration in the county since 2010. Yard mishaps at walking speed dominate; main-line derailments are the rare, dangerous ones.

rail equipment accidents since 2010
1
FRA Form 54
derailments
0

Source: FRA Form 54 rail equipment accident reports, county fallback for railAccidentLine() · FRA rail equipment accidents (Form 54) · About this topic

House records

Where the house-by-house records on this county's ZIP pages come from, and how current they are.

parcel records placed on the map
18,507
snapshot of September 15, 2026

Highland County Auditor parcel layer (Pivot Point CAMA summary joined to parcels) with the auditor's GIS extract, address points and subdivision outlines.

Office: Highland County Auditor, 119 Governor Foraker Pl, Hillsboro OH 45133 (CAMA and website by Pivot Point); ArcGIS Online organisation hcauditor.maps.arcgis.com (1cRPllBKe5adN2Dv, HiCoAuditor); Highland County Engineer / GIS Office (Canopy GIS server cnpygis.cmtengr.com and MapGuide server hcgisweb.co.highland.oh.us).

These are full appraisal records: every house's year built, value and sales history opens from its ZIP page.

Source: Highland County Auditor parcel layer (Pivot Point CAMA summary joined to parcels) with the auditor's GIS extract, address points and subdivision outlines, snapshot 2026-09-15 · Highland County Auditor · About this topic

Places

The 26 cities, villages and townships whose residents live mostly in Highland County, with the population of each.

Cities 1

ZIP codes

The 7 ZIP codes whose residents live mostly in Highland County, largest first. Each links to its own page; the water system column links to the utility serving most of its residents.

ZIP codes of Highland County: residents (2020 census), the water system serving most residents, radon, home value, school district and flood exposure
ZIPNameResidentsWater systemRadonHome valueSchool districtFlood
45133 Hillsboro 23,646 Hillsboro City 28%
Mostly private wells
4.2 pCi/L average radon Median home $172,900 Hillsboro City 3.5 stars overall 0.2% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45123 Greenfield 8,776 Greenfield Village 52%
Groundwater (wells)
5.4 pCi/L average radon Median home $161,700 Greenfield Exempted Village 3.5 stars overall 0.9% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45135 Fairfield Township and Leesburg 4,765 Leesburg Village 24%
Mostly private wells
4.8 pCi/L average radon Median home $210,000 Fairfield Local 4.5 stars overall 1.3% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45142 Lynchburg 4,384 Lynchburg Village 38%
Mostly private wells
4.0 pCi/L average radon Median home $167,100 Lynchburg-Clay Local 4 stars overall 1.7% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45155 Mowrystown 385 Sardinia Village 100%
Groundwater (wells)
Too few radon tests Median home $93,000 Bright Local 3.5 stars overall 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45132 Highland 230 no mapped system Too few radon tests Median home $100,000 Fairfield Local 4.5 stars overall 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45172 Sinking Spring 116 no mapped system Too few radon tests Median home $149,100 Adams County/Ohio Valley Local 3 stars overall 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Source: residents: 2020 Census (POP100, ZCTA) · water systems: EPA SDWIS + service-area-boundary join · radon: Ohio Department of Health radon test results by ZIP since 2010 · home value: Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year by ZCTA (housing/commute tables) · school districts: Ohio school district boundaries (OGRIP via ODOT) · flood: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer.

On the map

The map has no county view of its own yet: open it at 45133, the county's most populous ZIP code, and zoom out. Every ZIP code in the table above links to its page, and each page opens the map at that ZIP.

Rankings within the county

The county's ZIP codes ranked by what the map measures; each heading links to the topic's page.

Highest radon

  1. 45123Greenfield5.4 pCi/L
  2. 45135Fairfield Township and Leesburg4.8 pCi/L
  3. 45133Hillsboro4.2 pCi/L
  4. 45142Lynchburg4.0 pCi/L

Most snow

  1. 45123Greenfield18.3 in a year
  2. 45172Sinking Spring18.1 in a year
  3. 45155Mowrystown18.1 in a year
  4. 45142Lynchburg18.1 in a year
  5. 45135Fairfield Township and Leesburg18.1 in a year

Highest home values

  1. 45135Fairfield Township and Leesburg$210,000
  2. 45133Hillsboro$172,900
  3. 45142Lynchburg$167,100
  4. 45123Greenfield$161,700
  5. 45172Sinking Spring$149,100

Best school stars

  1. 45135Fairfield Township and Leesburg4.5 stars
  2. 45132Highland4.5 stars
  3. 45142Lynchburg4.0 stars
  4. 45155Mowrystown3.5 stars
  5. 45133Hillsboro3.5 stars

Cite and data

Cite this page as:

Ohio Hometown Atlas (Open Shower Co), "Highland County", https://hometownatlas.openshowerco.com/county/highland/, built 2026-09-15, accessed [date].

Machine-readable: /api/county/highland.json (open JSON, CC BY 4.0 for the compilation; the underlying records keep their own terms) · How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-09-15