Jobs, pay and daily life in Lima, 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.
Lima is a city in Ohio with 35,010 residents. The median household earns $46,240 a year and the median rent is $903 a month, which is 23.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Lima, OH metropolitan area, where BLS counts 49,950 jobs.
How Lima compares. Among the 100 largest places in Ohio, Lima is #42 by population, #100 for remote work (#1 = most), #99 for college degrees (#1 = most), #90 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Allen County, is #19 of 88 counties for average pay ($58,790).
Lima has 35,010 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Ohio. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,571 people per square mile. The median age is 36.8, 7% younger than the state median (36.8 against 39.7).
The median gross rent is $903 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($903 against $1,034). Over a year that is 23.4% 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 $107,200, which is 2.3 times the median household income ($46,240); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 45.6% of households own their home, 32% below the state average (45.6% against 67.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Lima, OH metropolitan area has 49,950 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,170 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,170 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (6,170 jobs, median $48,320); office and administrative support (4,990 jobs, median $44,230); food preparation and serving related (4,850 jobs, median $28,800). The area is most specialised in production (2.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($48,320). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Allen County was 3.7%. 57.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Allen County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.9% drive alone, 1.2% use public transit, 1.3% walk, 2.8% work from home. 8.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 23% below the state average (8.3% against 10.8%).
12.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 60% below the state share (12.8% against 31.5%). 2.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 48% below the state share (2.7% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 23.9%, 80% above the state rate (23.9% against 13.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.3°C). About 997 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (113 mm) and Feb the driest (57 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: Sidney (31 miles, rent 4% lower); Findlay (33 miles, rent 8% higher); Piqua (42 miles, similar rent); Troy (49 miles, rent 11% higher). Rent differences are against Lima; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Ohio (525) →State guide: OhioCountry guideAllen 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 525 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,830 | 1.48 | $27,320 | $23,010 | $30,810 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,630 | 1.50 | $81,440 | $64,090 | $97,350 | -17% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.19 | $28,900 | $23,590 | $44,800 | -18% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,210 | 1.08 | $80,720 | $43,760 | $179,990 | -24% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,120 | 1.23 | $35,920 | $29,110 | $46,340 | -4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 960 | 1.01 | $37,050 | $28,500 | $54,770 | -8% |
| Cashiers | 940 | 0.95 | $28,230 | $23,450 | $35,930 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 830 | 1.17 | $35,390 | $28,320 | $46,870 | -4% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 810 | 0.58 | $31,980 | $28,700 | $37,980 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 730 | 0.92 | $41,410 | $27,320 | $61,780 | -8% |
| Nursing Assistants | 690 | 1.48 | $37,360 | $31,590 | $47,210 | -12% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 690 | 1.54 | $43,970 | $30,150 | $84,650 | -2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 680 | 0.93 | $36,720 | $23,610 | $62,550 | +4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 660 | 0.99 | $58,140 | $42,960 | $73,400 | -1% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 620 | 1.25 | $57,180 | $36,760 | $84,510 | +15% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 540 | 1.21 | $75,830 | $46,040 | $93,720 | +19% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.30 | $35,900 | $29,920 | $56,500 | -19% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 510 | 4.16 | $37,430 | $35,640 | $45,170 | -13% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 500 | 2.59 | $57,990 | $35,530 | $85,120 | +19% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 500 | 2.42 | $62,080 | $49,470 | $72,700 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,630 | 1.50 | $81,440 | $64,090 | $97,350 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,210 | 1.08 | $80,720 | $43,760 | $179,990 | -24% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 540 | 1.21 | $75,830 | $46,040 | $93,720 | +19% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 500 | 2.42 | $62,080 | $49,470 | $72,700 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 660 | 0.99 | $58,140 | $42,960 | $73,400 | -1% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 500 | 2.59 | $57,990 | $35,530 | $85,120 | +19% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 620 | 1.25 | $57,180 | $36,760 | $84,510 | +15% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 690 | 1.54 | $43,970 | $30,150 | $84,650 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 730 | 0.92 | $41,410 | $27,320 | $61,780 | -8% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 510 | 4.16 | $37,430 | $35,640 | $45,170 | -13% |
| Nursing Assistants | 690 | 1.48 | $37,360 | $31,590 | $47,210 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 960 | 1.01 | $37,050 | $28,500 | $54,770 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 680 | 0.93 | $36,720 | $23,610 | $62,550 | +4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,120 | 1.23 | $35,920 | $29,110 | $46,340 | -4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.30 | $35,900 | $29,920 | $56,500 | -19% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 830 | 1.17 | $35,390 | $28,320 | $46,870 | -4% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 810 | 0.58 | $31,980 | $28,700 | $37,980 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,490 | 1.19 | $28,900 | $23,590 | $44,800 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 940 | 0.95 | $28,230 | $23,450 | $35,930 | -14% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,830 | 1.48 | $27,320 | $23,010 | $30,810 | -12% |
These figures are for the whole Lima, OH metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,170 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19.9% |
| Education and health care | 18.5% |
| Retail trade | 14.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.7% |
| Other services | 6.1% |
| Construction | 6.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.2% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.2% |
| Information | 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 Lima 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 101,348 | $11,167 million | $110,183 | 49,690 | 2,586 | $58,790 | +0.2% | 3.7% | 46,840 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,452 | 21.8% | $60,348 | 1.33 |
| Manufacturing | 8,779 | 20.2% | $92,093 | 2.15 |
| Retail trade | 5,261 | 12.1% | $34,262 | 1.06 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,737 | 10.9% | $20,846 | 1.05 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,263 | 7.5% | $52,429 | 1.12 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,386 | 5.5% | $66,162 | 1.22 |
| Construction | 2,056 | 4.7% | $70,217 | 0.79 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,613 | 3.7% | $36,657 | 1.08 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,583 | 3.7% | $74,796 | 0.46 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,158 | 2.7% | $61,361 | 0.55 |
| Educational services | 955 | 2.2% | $34,855 | 0.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 887 | 2.0% | $70,088 | 0.44 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 545 | 1.3% | $20,308 | 0.65 |
| Management of companies | 316 | 0.7% | $88,987 | 0.38 |
| Real estate and rental | 252 | 0.6% | $42,132 | 0.33 |
| Utilities | 123 | 0.3% | $110,425 | 0.65 |
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 | 79.9% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 1.3% |
| Work from home | 2.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,240 |
| Income per person | $24,787 |
| Median gross rent per month | $903 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.4% |
| Median home value | $107,200 |
| Homeowners | 45.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 89.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,170 |
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 | 36.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 12.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.3 | 26 | 64 |
| Feb | -1.9 | 29 | 57 |
| Mar | 3.6 | 38 | 79 |
| Apr | 10.3 | 51 | 94 |
| May | 16.3 | 61 | 113 |
| Jun | 21.1 | 70 | 106 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 96 |
| Aug | 22.7 | 73 | 88 |
| Sep | 18.9 | 66 | 78 |
| Oct | 11.8 | 53 | 78 |
| Nov | 5.0 | 41 | 74 |
| Dec | -0.6 | 31 | 70 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney | OH | 31 mi | 20,501 | $60,668 | $869 |
| Findlay | OH | 33 mi | 40,287 | $61,423 | $975 |
| Piqua | OH | 42 mi | 20,646 | $67,796 | $922 |
| Troy | OH | 49 mi | 26,842 | $68,830 | $1,003 |
| Bowling Green | OH | 50 mi | 29,983 | $45,154 | $897 |
| New Haven | IN | 52 mi | 15,698 | $70,970 | $998 |
| Marion | OH | 53 mi | 35,669 | $47,951 | $856 |
| Marysville | OH | 53 mi | 27,518 | $92,619 | $1,223 |
| Springfield | OH | 59 mi | 58,190 | $47,143 | $851 |
| Fort Wayne | IN | 59 mi | 268,589 | $61,422 | $999 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
35,010 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$903 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.4% of the median household income.
$46,240 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Allen County (latest month 2026M09)).
Ohio. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.