Jobs, pay and daily life in Wooster, 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.
Wooster is a city in Ohio with 26,971 residents. The median household earns $66,898 a year and the median rent is $918 a month, which is 16.5% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Cleveland, OH (1,031,130 jobs), about 18 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Wooster compares. Among the 100 largest places in Ohio, Wooster is #56 by population, #23 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #78 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #72 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Wayne County, is #25 of 88 counties for average pay ($57,609).
Wooster has 26,971 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Ohio. It covers 17 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,545 people per square mile. The median age is 40.1, about the same as the state median (40.1 against 39.7).
The median gross rent is $918 a month (rent plus utilities), 11% below the state median ($918 against $1,034). Over a year that is 16.5% 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 $214,200, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($66,898); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 65.2% of households own their home, 3% below the state average (65.2% against 67.2%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Cleveland, OH, metropolitan area has 1,031,130 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,140 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,140 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (117,740 jobs, median $47,300); food preparation and serving related (90,560 jobs, median $31,320); transportation and material moving (88,040 jobs, median $42,360). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($107,210) and computer and mathematical ($99,970). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Wayne County was 3.2%. 59.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Wayne County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.3% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 7.7% walk, 9.2% work from home. 11.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 5% above the state average (11.3% against 10.8%).
36.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 17% above the state share (36.9% against 31.5%). 6.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 19% above the state share (6.2% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 9.2%, 31% below the state rate (9.2% against 13.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.5°C). About 983 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (105 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: Wadsworth (18 miles, rent 16% higher); Ashland (20 miles, similar rent); Massillon (21 miles, rent 6% lower); Barberton (21 miles, rent 8% lower). Rent differences are against Wooster; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Ohio (525) →State guide: OhioCountry guideWayne 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 29,510 | 1.27 | $97,750 | $48,140 | $217,290 | -8% |
| Registered Nurses | 28,240 | 1.26 | $83,940 | $75,020 | $108,120 | -14% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 28,010 | 1.10 | $28,750 | $23,640 | $35,830 | -8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 24,650 | 0.95 | $31,000 | $24,870 | $45,680 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 22,660 | 1.21 | $36,290 | $27,970 | $47,800 | -3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 19,400 | 0.68 | $34,520 | $29,080 | $38,550 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 18,720 | 0.91 | $29,130 | $23,650 | $36,310 | -11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 17,090 | 0.87 | $38,680 | $30,920 | $49,410 | -4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 15,900 | 0.92 | $46,040 | $31,340 | $65,760 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 15,700 | 0.96 | $44,790 | $29,150 | $63,900 | -0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 14,120 | 0.94 | $36,260 | $24,220 | $76,600 | +3% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 13,700 | 1.47 | $44,630 | $33,280 | $62,240 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 13,380 | 0.91 | $36,230 | $28,850 | $48,680 | -2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 13,060 | 1.36 | $39,010 | $35,480 | $46,710 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 12,860 | 1.27 | $51,930 | $36,130 | $75,980 | +5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 11,970 | 0.88 | $58,970 | $40,970 | $76,110 | +1% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 11,420 | 1.39 | $76,020 | $45,270 | $133,890 | +5% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 10,740 | 1.12 | $80,000 | $54,830 | $129,900 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 10,450 | 0.92 | $46,120 | $33,300 | $62,400 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 9,460 | 1.17 | $37,700 | $31,200 | $60,730 | -14% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 6,610 | 2.91 | $248,400 | $62,990 | $452,910 | -7% |
| Pediatricians, General | 650 | 2.48 | $217,970 | $161,030 | $253,290 | +4% |
| Chief Executives | 980 | 0.72 | $199,350 | $90,890 | $432,640 | -7% |
| Commercial Pilots | 600 | 1.89 | $166,520 | $59,280 | $225,960 | +35% |
| Financial Managers | 6,300 | 1.13 | $157,900 | $83,320 | $348,520 | -5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 4,430 | 1.00 | $156,410 | $96,940 | $219,970 | -11% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,610 | 1.10 | $155,460 | $112,790 | $210,860 | -9% |
| Sales Managers | 4,560 | 1.08 | $143,870 | $75,210 | $256,210 | -3% |
| Pharmacists | 2,860 | 1.34 | $140,690 | $54,610 | $165,900 | -0% |
| Physician Assistants | 750 | 0.70 | $135,860 | $105,060 | $229,610 | -0% |
| Lawyers | 5,540 | 1.11 | $134,680 | $75,740 | $281,770 | -16% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,520 | 1.04 | $134,380 | $82,390 | $223,630 | -10% |
| Purchasing Managers | 500 | 0.90 | $134,030 | $90,460 | $224,920 | -9% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 3,320 | 1.55 | $130,800 | $103,200 | $155,590 | -1% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,350 | 0.33 | $130,580 | $73,050 | $210,540 | -8% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,990 | 0.76 | $129,300 | $76,740 | $219,800 | -22% |
| Computer Network Architects | 860 | 0.72 | $128,800 | $85,220 | $180,710 | -4% |
| Veterinarians | 560 | 1.01 | $128,610 | $50,390 | $212,580 | -1% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 4,780 | 1.21 | $122,770 | $68,640 | $215,680 | -1% |
| Engineers, All Other | 980 | 0.96 | $118,590 | $74,560 | $174,310 | -4% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Cleveland, OH, about 18 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,140 (US $50,980); unemployment 1.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.4% |
| Manufacturing | 19.9% |
| Retail trade | 11.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 3.4% |
| Construction | 3.3% |
| Other services | 3.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Wooster 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | 116,588 | $8,952 million | $76,785 | 48,515 | 3,024 | $57,609 | +0.5% | 3.2% | 55,150 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 13,921 | 33.2% | $69,375 | 3.49 |
| Retail trade | 5,328 | 12.7% | $35,559 | 1.10 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,322 | 12.7% | $51,973 | 0.77 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,371 | 8.0% | $20,986 | 0.76 |
| Construction | 2,540 | 6.1% | $65,713 | 1.00 |
| Management of companies | 1,628 | 3.9% | $138,869 | 1.99 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,624 | 3.9% | $70,765 | 0.85 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,169 | 2.8% | $59,766 | 0.57 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,157 | 2.8% | $74,214 | 0.59 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,110 | 2.6% | $46,838 | 0.76 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,091 | 2.6% | $62,751 | 0.32 |
| Educational services | 965 | 2.3% | $41,496 | 0.96 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 816 | 1.9% | $39,799 | 2.08 |
| Administrative and waste services | 730 | 1.7% | $37,229 | 0.26 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 450 | 1.1% | $17,145 | 0.55 |
| Real estate and rental | 243 | 0.6% | $51,506 | 0.32 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 223 | 0.5% | $87,101 | 1.22 |
| Information | 145 | 0.3% | $68,834 | 0.16 |
| Utilities | 122 | 0.3% | $106,071 | 0.66 |
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 | 74.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 7.7% |
| Work from home | 9.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,898 |
| Income per person | $34,774 |
| Median gross rent per month | $918 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.5% |
| Median home value | $214,200 |
| Homeowners | 65.2% |
| Poverty rate | 9.2% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 93.9 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $50,140 |
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 | 40.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.9% |
| Born abroad | 6.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.5 | 26 | 62 |
| Feb | -2.5 | 28 | 60 |
| Mar | 2.5 | 36 | 78 |
| Apr | 9.1 | 48 | 86 |
| May | 15.3 | 60 | 100 |
| Jun | 20.2 | 68 | 105 |
| Jul | 22.9 | 73 | 94 |
| Aug | 22.3 | 72 | 83 |
| Sep | 18.5 | 65 | 89 |
| Oct | 11.4 | 53 | 86 |
| Nov | 4.7 | 40 | 70 |
| Dec | -0.7 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadsworth | OH | 18 mi | 24,492 | $79,490 | $1,067 |
| Ashland | OH | 20 mi | 18,911 | $60,029 | $893 |
| Massillon | OH | 21 mi | 32,338 | $56,446 | $862 |
| Barberton | OH | 21 mi | 24,844 | $52,267 | $848 |
| Medina | OH | 22 mi | 25,950 | $77,385 | $1,077 |
| Green | OH | 26 mi | 27,393 | $95,047 | $1,228 |
| Akron | OH | 28 mi | 189,247 | $48,076 | $955 |
| Canton | OH | 30 mi | 69,755 | $43,188 | $850 |
| Brunswick | OH | 30 mi | 35,246 | $90,663 | $1,157 |
| Mansfield | OH | 32 mi | 47,663 | $44,540 | $814 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
26,971 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$918 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.5% of the median household income.
$66,898 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Wayne County (latest month 2026M09)).
Ohio. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.