Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 4,985, settled in 1853. 2.3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Ohio town.
Ada gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $229K for a typical one, or 3.7 years of the county’s $62K median household income. It grades B+ overall, better than 68% of U.S. towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $62K, and 32% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, its schools outperform 77% of the state's. Ada is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among Ohio’s towns. 32% of residents live below the poverty line in Ada, where Ohio’s towns sit at 9.1% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 58 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on walkability. Ada's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Where Ada beats most towns.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Ohio Northern University | 3,041 |
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Ada is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,760 in 1880, 5,334 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1887 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ada, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Ada.
Ada is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with Lima and other neighbors.
50.2% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.6% statewide, which pulls the median age down. Only 44.3% of households own their home, against 67.2% across Ohio.
For residents in Ada, the share who are 65 or older is 8.1%. The town is shrinking: down 6.4% since 2020, to 4,985 residents (2025 estimate). Adults 18 to 34 are 63% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 18% of residents (38% statewide). Here, 37% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 32% in Ohio as a whole.
| Ada | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 11% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 22.2 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 8.1% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 24% | 29% |
57% women, 43% men
About 75 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.2 points). Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women. Median age: women 22.2, men 22.3.
| Ada | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 52.7% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.3% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.5% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.3% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.5% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.7% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.2% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.5% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.1% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.4% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 5,000, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Ada, 31% come from inland flooding and 15% from cold waves. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2012.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The range runs from 19° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 33 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The level of violent crime for Ada comes to 1.9 per 1,000 residents. The property crime rate for Ada comes to 7.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Ada | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.4 per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Ada has about as many jobs (1,593) as working residents, but only 365 people both live and work here.
Roughly one working resident in five has a job in Ada itself. For Ada, the average commute is 21 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 19 miles. The top destinations are Lima (9%), Columbus (6%) and Kenton (3%).
| Ada | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 9.7% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 9,319 U.S. towns with household incomes like Ada’s, it is healthier than 63%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
In Ada, 39% of adults have obesity. Only 5 of the 993 Ohio towns we compare have a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Ada. Against the Ohio average, Ada comes out ahead on 8 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 10.
| Ada | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 34% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Ada | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.1% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.3% | 3.7% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 14% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical rent in Ada is $884 a month. Home values are up 7.5% over the year to September 2026. Also worth knowing: among households in the town, 44% live in a home they own.
| Ada | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 44% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $884 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
4 within 15 miles of the center of Ada
College town 50 of every 100 Ada residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
5,952 counted in 2010 and 5,334 in 2020; an estimated 4,985 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 6.4% since 2020, after 10.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
3 notable people were born in Ada.
Village in Ohio, United States
Ada ( AY-də) is a village in Hardin County, Ohio, United States, located about 69 miles (111 km) southwest of Toledo. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,334. It is the home of Ohio Northern University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Ada grades B+ overall, better than 68% of U.S. towns. Ada is a college campus (most residents are students), so it isn’t ranked among Ohio’s towns. It grades C+ for health, B for safety and A− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes, by national standards. Ada reports less crime per resident than 63% of U.S. towns, a B Safety Grade: 10 violent and 39 property crimes in 2025.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
3 notable people were born here, including Rollo May and Zac Dysert.
