The county economy 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.
Wayne County is a county of Ohio with 116,588 residents. Its economy produced $8,952 million in 2024 (ranked #21 of 88 counties) and had 48,515 jobs with an average annual pay of $57,609 (#25 for pay). The unemployment rate was 3.2% in 2026M09. It is part of the Wooster, OH micropolitan area (central county).
Wayne County produced about $8,952 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 1.0% of the combined output of the 88 counties of Ohio that BEA reports (about 1.0% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 21st of 88 on that measure. Per resident that is $76,785, about the same as the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $78,164. In current dollars output grew 4.9% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation.
BLS counts 48,515 jobs located in Wayne County on average in 2024, spread over 3,024 employer sites (about 16 jobs per site). That is 0.42 jobs for every resident, above the 0.38 of the typical county in Ohio, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $57,609, 11% below the average of all counties in the state ($57,609 against $64,428). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs rose 0.5% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are manufacturing (33.2% of private jobs, $69,375 a year on average), retail trade (12.7% of private jobs, $35,559 a year on average), health care and social assistance (12.7% of private jobs, $51,973 a year on average). Together they hold 58.6% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is management of companies at $138,869 a year, followed by wholesale trade ($70,765). The county is specialised in several industries: manufacturing (3.5 times the US share, 13,921 jobs); agriculture, forestry, fishing (2.1 times the US share, 816 jobs); management of companies (2.0 times the US share, 1,628 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: retail trade ($35,559), accommodation and food services ($20,986). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Wayne County was 3.2%, about the same as the average of the state's counties (3.2% against 3.3%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 55,150. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 2.5% (2026M05) to 4.1% (2026M02); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $73,574 (ACS 2020–2024), 3% above the state median ($73,574 against $71,389). The guide covers 1 city with this as the main county: Wooster. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate.
Counties close to Wayne County in output are Medina County, Trumbull County, Portage County, Hancock County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 88 counties of Ohio ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 116,588 | 24 of 88 |
| GDP 2024 | $8,952 million | 21 of 88 |
| GDP per resident | $76,785 | 21 of 88 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 48,515 | 23 of 88 |
| Average annual pay | $57,609 | 25 of 88 |
| Job change vs 2023 | +0.5% | 45 of 88 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 3.2% | 20 of 88 |
| Median household income | $73,574 | 28 of 88 |
Federal jobs in Ohio (525) →All cities of OhioState guide: Ohio
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.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Wayne County.
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Median home value ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooster | 26,971 | $66,898 | $918 | $214,200 | 36.9% |
| 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 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 55,150 |
| Employed residents | 53,411 |
| Unemployed residents | 1,739 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 48,515 |
| Employer sites | 3,024 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 1,333,048 | $141,972 million | $106,502 | 779,560 | $73,180 | 3.4% |
| Cuyahoga County | 1,245,873 | $135,914 million | $109,091 | 705,152 | $75,134 | 2.0% |
| Hamilton County | 830,774 | $107,275 million | $129,127 | 515,652 | $76,924 | 3.5% |
| Summit County | 537,864 | $40,349 million | $75,017 | 261,045 | $62,871 | 3.7% |
| Montgomery County | 536,096 | $40,097 million | $74,794 | 250,085 | $61,439 | 3.9% |
| Lucas County | 428,018 | $33,400 million | $78,033 | 194,869 | $62,231 | 4.2% |
| Butler County | 392,876 | $29,842 million | $75,958 | 163,093 | $64,277 | 3.5% |
| Stark County | 373,713 | $23,156 million | $61,962 | 158,502 | $54,631 | 3.7% |
| Lorain County | 317,129 | $15,029 million | $47,390 | 98,291 | $55,721 | 1.9% |
| Warren County | 250,008 | $18,762 million | $75,045 | 100,746 | $69,570 | 3.2% |
| Lake County | 232,216 | $15,717 million | $67,681 | 98,558 | $59,040 | 1.8% |
| Delaware County | 226,834 | $19,133 million | $84,347 | 98,182 | $72,243 | 3.1% |
| Mahoning County | 226,491 | $12,615 million | $55,699 | 93,784 | $51,623 | 4.7% |
| Clermont County | 211,181 | $10,607 million | $50,226 | 62,149 | $57,779 | 3.4% |
| Trumbull County | 200,929 | $9,687 million | $48,210 | 65,830 | $51,810 | 4.8% |
| Medina County | 183,660 | $10,413 million | $56,697 | 62,902 | $58,076 | 1.6% |
| Licking County | 181,837 | $11,123 million | $61,169 | 72,111 | $58,066 | 3.3% |
| Greene County | 169,688 | $14,730 million | $86,804 | 80,197 | $72,302 | 3.4% |
| Fairfield County | 163,453 | $6,849 million | $41,903 | 47,292 | $52,628 | 3.3% |
| Portage County | 161,956 | $8,793 million | $54,293 | 56,561 | $57,670 | 3.5% |
| Clark County | 135,158 | $6,091 million | $45,065 | 46,967 | $52,055 | 3.8% |
| Wood County | 132,064 | $10,692 million | $80,961 | 75,922 | $56,557 | 3.4% |
| Richland County | 125,099 | $6,005 million | $47,998 | 48,954 | $50,804 | 4.0% |
| Wayne County | 116,588 | $8,952 million | $76,785 | 48,515 | $57,609 | 3.2% |
| Miami County | 110,296 | $6,178 million | $56,010 | 41,603 | $55,221 | 3.2% |
| Allen County | 101,348 | $11,167 million | $110,183 | 49,690 | $58,790 | 3.7% |
| Columbiana County | 100,704 | $4,813 million | $47,792 | 28,452 | $49,319 | 3.7% |
| Ashtabula County | 97,167 | $4,396 million | $45,242 | 29,406 | $47,141 | 1.9% |
| Geauga County | 95,481 | $6,128 million | $64,176 | 36,578 | $56,641 | 1.6% |
| Tuscarawas County | 92,385 | $5,338 million | $57,781 | 37,426 | $50,893 | 3.3% |
| Muskingum County | 86,411 | $5,129 million | $59,354 | 35,425 | $52,271 | 3.6% |
| Ross County | 76,492 | $3,869 million | $50,576 | 29,510 | $58,036 | 4.2% |
| Hancock County | 74,866 | $7,323 million | $97,814 | 44,126 | $65,463 | 3.3% |
| Erie County | 74,581 | $5,356 million | $71,812 | 36,283 | $49,985 | 3.6% |
| Scioto County | 72,627 | $3,482 million | $47,939 | 25,148 | $49,418 | 4.7% |
| Union County | 67,324 | $6,200 million | $92,088 | 34,660 | $74,039 | 2.9% |
| Belmont County | 65,473 | $3,544 million | $54,127 | 20,616 | $49,753 | 4.0% |
| Marion County | 65,020 | $3,596 million | $55,303 | 23,100 | $54,522 | 3.7% |
| Jefferson County | 64,518 | $4,365 million | $67,652 | 19,779 | $51,142 | 4.2% |
| Knox County | 63,142 | $3,085 million | $48,861 | 20,571 | $55,637 | 3.3% |
| Athens County | 61,737 | $2,745 million | $44,466 | 21,207 | $50,117 | 4.0% |
| Pickaway County | 60,131 | $2,578 million | $42,867 | 16,097 | $56,992 | 3.4% |
| Washington County | 58,978 | $4,760 million | $80,715 | 25,263 | $59,165 | 3.8% |
| Sandusky County | 58,778 | $4,099 million | $69,730 | 24,936 | $52,676 | 4.3% |
| Huron County | 58,319 | $2,991 million | $51,294 | 21,414 | $53,225 | 3.4% |
| Lawrence County | 56,819 | $2,192 million | $38,577 | 13,641 | $47,517 | 4.1% |
| Seneca County | 54,770 | $2,753 million | $50,271 | 19,092 | $49,201 | 3.5% |
| Ashland County | 52,256 | $2,446 million | $46,803 | 18,904 | $48,877 | 3.3% |
| Darke County | 51,594 | $3,389 million | $65,688 | 18,394 | $50,442 | 3.3% |
| Shelby County | 47,929 | $4,067 million | $84,857 | 26,643 | $62,089 | 3.1% |
| Auglaize County | 46,125 | $3,733 million | $80,926 | 22,153 | $56,897 | 2.8% |
| Logan County | 46,089 | $2,767 million | $60,044 | 19,362 | $57,511 | 3.1% |
| Madison County | 44,423 | $2,974 million | $66,940 | 23,600 | $54,168 | 3.1% |
| Holmes County | 44,418 | $3,810 million | $85,775 | 21,534 | $53,940 | 2.4% |
| Brown County | 43,845 | $1,207 million | $27,534 | 7,943 | $43,810 | 3.6% |
| Highland County | 43,517 | $1,887 million | $43,360 | 11,108 | $44,831 | 3.9% |
| Mercer County | 42,484 | $3,995 million | $94,036 | 20,581 | $50,671 | 2.6% |
| Fulton County | 42,240 | $2,612 million | $61,834 | 18,066 | $57,129 | 3.4% |
| Clinton County | 42,012 | $3,130 million | $74,500 | 19,140 | $62,998 | 3.1% |
| Crawford County | 41,711 | $1,760 million | $42,206 | 12,735 | $50,171 | 3.9% |
| Preble County | 40,765 | $1,563 million | $38,336 | 11,510 | $52,740 | 3.2% |
| Ottawa County | 39,994 | $2,597 million | $64,946 | 14,146 | $53,467 | 3.7% |
| Champaign County | 38,804 | $1,680 million | $43,306 | 10,880 | $52,045 | 3.3% |
| Defiance County | 38,343 | $2,162 million | $56,399 | 15,518 | $52,758 | 3.2% |
| Guernsey County | 38,223 | $3,691 million | $96,572 | 14,599 | $52,287 | 4.0% |
| Coshocton County | 36,744 | $1,663 million | $45,247 | 9,826 | $50,212 | 3.9% |
| Williams County | 36,719 | $2,187 million | $59,571 | 16,327 | $51,298 | 3.8% |
| Perry County | 35,535 | $937 million | $26,373 | 6,398 | $50,770 | 3.9% |
| Morrow County | 35,404 | $910 million | $25,699 | 5,513 | $44,743 | 3.4% |
| Putnam County | 34,314 | $1,690 million | $49,247 | 12,541 | $50,046 | 2.6% |
| Jackson County | 32,650 | $1,314 million | $40,260 | 10,126 | $45,877 | 4.1% |
| Hardin County | 30,475 | $1,365 million | $44,802 | 7,675 | $49,899 | 3.8% |
| Gallia County | 29,068 | $2,336 million | $80,371 | 11,265 | $48,285 | 3.8% |
| Fayette County | 28,876 | $2,262 million | $78,333 | 11,416 | $50,422 | 3.5% |
| Van Wert County | 28,826 | $1,726 million | $59,877 | 11,519 | $49,418 | 2.9% |
| Hocking County | 27,799 | $843 million | $30,312 | 7,597 | $37,934 | 3.9% |
| Henry County | 27,567 | $1,582 million | $57,387 | 10,585 | $54,637 | 3.2% |
| Adams County | 27,540 | $1,066 million | $38,719 | 6,800 | $52,396 | 4.3% |
| Pike County | 27,044 | $1,597 million | $59,055 | 10,588 | $63,815 | 4.4% |
| Carroll County | 26,659 | $1,823 million | $68,384 | 6,093 | $48,590 | 3.6% |
| Meigs County | 21,896 | $507 million | $23,144 | 3,502 | $41,798 | 4.5% |
| Wyandot County | 21,598 | $1,407 million | $65,137 | 10,149 | $54,740 | 2.8% |
| Paulding County | 18,791 | $790 million | $42,041 | 4,982 | $50,035 | 3.1% |
| Harrison County | 14,306 | $1,576 million | $110,146 | 3,804 | $62,183 | 4.1% |
| Noble County | 14,282 | $580 million | $40,585 | 3,079 | $51,642 | 4.6% |
| Morgan County | 13,651 | $516 million | $37,807 | 2,992 | $47,594 | 3.9% |
| Monroe County | 13,227 | $1,193 million | $90,187 | 2,869 | $47,331 | 4.3% |
| Vinton County | 12,630 | $514 million | $40,661 | 2,232 | $43,655 | 3.8% |
116,588 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$8,952 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
3.2% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
48,515 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $57,609 (BLS QCEW).