Jobs, pay and daily life in Ashland, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Ashland is a city in Ohio with 18,911 residents. The median household earns $60,029 a year and the median rent is $893 a month, which is 17.9% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Mansfield, OH (48,770 jobs), about 13 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Ashland compares. Among the 100 largest places in Ohio, Ashland is #97 by population, #16 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #74 for remote work (#1 = most), #64 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Ashland County, is #75 of 88 counties for average pay ($48,877).
Ashland has 18,911 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Ohio. It covers 11 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,656 people per square mile. The median age is 38.2, 4% younger than the state median (38.2 against 39.7).
The median gross rent is $893 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($893 against $1,034). Over a year that is 17.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $157,900, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($60,029); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.0% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (63.0% against 67.2%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Mansfield, OH, metropolitan area has 48,770 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,700 a year, 12% below the national median ($44,700 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (6,010 jobs, median $43,850); office and administrative support (5,140 jobs, median $43,010); food preparation and serving related (5,010 jobs, median $28,560). The area is most specialised in production (2.2 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($43,850) and office and administrative support ($43,010). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Ashland County was 3.3%. 61.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Ashland County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.9% walk, 9.0% work from home. 9.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 10% below the state average (9.7% against 10.8%).
23.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 24% below the state share (23.8% against 31.5%). 1.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 69% below the state share (1.6% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 16.6%, 25% above the state rate (16.6% against 13.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.4°C). About 974 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (104 mm) and Feb the driest (60 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Mansfield (13 miles, rent 9% lower); Wooster (20 miles, similar rent); Medina (30 miles, rent 21% higher); Wadsworth (32 miles, rent 19% higher). Rent differences are against Ashland; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Ohio (526) →State guide: OhioCountry guideAshland CountyOhio rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 526 federal postings open in Ohio (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,670 | 1.36 | $28,830 | $23,170 | $43,800 | -19% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,610 | 1.33 | $26,790 | $22,740 | $32,740 | -14% |
| Cashiers | 1,250 | 1.29 | $29,540 | $23,070 | $34,420 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,210 | 1.11 | $79,560 | $41,320 | $174,820 | -25% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,160 | 1.09 | $81,300 | $62,580 | $101,450 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,060 | 1.19 | $34,970 | $29,990 | $45,600 | -6% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,040 | 2.35 | $38,890 | $27,130 | $50,970 | -13% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,030 | 1.12 | $35,840 | $28,890 | $46,550 | -11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 880 | 0.65 | $30,400 | $26,360 | $36,700 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 850 | 1.20 | $35,170 | $22,510 | $60,480 | -0% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 750 | 1.16 | $57,280 | $44,380 | $73,130 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 720 | 0.93 | $40,350 | $26,520 | $61,250 | -10% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 680 | 0.83 | $37,180 | $28,540 | $59,420 | -17% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 660 | 1.38 | $50,210 | $33,050 | $71,490 | +1% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 620 | 1.86 | $73,490 | $45,480 | $95,040 | +2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 600 | 1.31 | $39,380 | $33,070 | $45,210 | -7% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 550 | 2.95 | $39,950 | $35,160 | $60,000 | -18% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 530 | 0.77 | $35,100 | $26,480 | $46,240 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.33 | $35,950 | $29,280 | $55,370 | -18% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 0.94 | $43,000 | $29,870 | $57,980 | -10% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,160 | 1.09 | $81,300 | $62,580 | $101,450 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,210 | 1.11 | $79,560 | $41,320 | $174,820 | -25% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 620 | 1.86 | $73,490 | $45,480 | $95,040 | +2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 750 | 1.16 | $57,280 | $44,380 | $73,130 | -2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 660 | 1.38 | $50,210 | $33,050 | $71,490 | +1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 500 | 0.94 | $43,000 | $29,870 | $57,980 | -10% |
| Office Clerks, General | 720 | 0.93 | $40,350 | $26,520 | $61,250 | -10% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 550 | 2.95 | $39,950 | $35,160 | $60,000 | -18% |
| Nursing Assistants | 600 | 1.31 | $39,380 | $33,070 | $45,210 | -7% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,040 | 2.35 | $38,890 | $27,130 | $50,970 | -13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 680 | 0.83 | $37,180 | $28,540 | $59,420 | -17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.33 | $35,950 | $29,280 | $55,370 | -18% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,030 | 1.12 | $35,840 | $28,890 | $46,550 | -11% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 850 | 1.20 | $35,170 | $22,510 | $60,480 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 530 | 0.77 | $35,100 | $26,480 | $46,240 | -5% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,060 | 1.19 | $34,970 | $29,990 | $45,600 | -6% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 880 | 0.65 | $30,400 | $26,360 | $36,700 | -15% |
| Cashiers | 1,250 | 1.29 | $29,540 | $23,070 | $34,420 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,670 | 1.36 | $28,830 | $23,170 | $43,800 | -19% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,610 | 1.33 | $26,790 | $22,740 | $32,740 | -14% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Mansfield, OH, about 13 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,700 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.9% |
| Manufacturing | 19.1% |
| Retail trade | 13.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.0% |
| Other services | 5.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Construction | 2.4% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ashland lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland County | 52,256 | $2,446 million | $46,803 | 18,904 | 1,236 | $48,877 | +0.6% | 3.3% | 24,895 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,278 | 27.4% | $58,990 | 2.11 |
| Retail trade | 2,308 | 19.3% | $32,330 | 1.22 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,679 | 14.0% | $20,497 | 0.98 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,343 | 11.2% | $67,593 | 1.02 |
| Construction | 827 | 6.9% | $74,088 | 0.83 |
| Wholesale trade | 651 | 5.4% | $65,033 | 0.87 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 612 | 5.1% | $61,614 | 0.76 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 558 | 4.7% | $28,736 | 0.98 |
| Finance and insurance | 258 | 2.2% | $69,962 | 0.34 |
| Information | 171 | 1.4% | $102,299 | 0.48 |
| Real estate and rental | 145 | 1.2% | $39,647 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 138 | 1.2% | $21,267 | 0.43 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.9% |
| Work from home | 9.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,029 |
| Income per person | $30,314 |
| Median gross rent per month | $893 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.9% |
| Median home value | $157,900 |
| Homeowners | 63.0% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $44,700 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.75%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.8% |
| Born abroad | 1.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.4 | 26 | 62 |
| Feb | -2.4 | 28 | 60 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 37 | 74 |
| Apr | 9.2 | 49 | 88 |
| May | 15.3 | 60 | 103 |
| Jun | 20.2 | 68 | 104 |
| Jul | 22.8 | 73 | 93 |
| Aug | 22.2 | 72 | 84 |
| Sep | 18.5 | 65 | 85 |
| Oct | 11.5 | 53 | 82 |
| Nov | 4.9 | 41 | 70 |
| Dec | -0.6 | 31 | 69 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield | OH | 13 mi | 47,663 | $44,540 | $814 |
| Wooster | OH | 20 mi | 26,971 | $66,898 | $918 |
| Medina | OH | 30 mi | 25,950 | $77,385 | $1,077 |
| Wadsworth | OH | 32 mi | 24,492 | $79,490 | $1,067 |
| Elyria | OH | 37 mi | 53,035 | $54,945 | $906 |
| Brunswick | OH | 37 mi | 35,246 | $90,663 | $1,157 |
| Barberton | OH | 38 mi | 24,844 | $52,267 | $848 |
| North Ridgeville | OH | 39 mi | 36,627 | $96,698 | $1,116 |
| Strongsville | OH | 40 mi | 45,983 | $103,253 | $1,302 |
| Lorain | OH | 40 mi | 65,395 | $48,685 | $887 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
18,911 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$893 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.9% of the median household income.
$60,029 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, Ashland County (latest month 2026M09)).
Ohio. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.