Looking West from City Hall, 1909
Bluffton’s story
195 years in pictures
Census counts: 489 in 1870, 3,967 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1909 and 2 maps from 1960 on.
- 1831Bluffton is founded
BlufftonOH
A town of 3,875, founded in 1831. 2.4 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Ohio town.
Trash & recyclingPhoto: Major optics · CC BY 3.0
Population
3,875
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$277K
+4.9% in a year
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
36.0
years
Jobs based here
2,733
A job hub
TownGrade
A+
#38 of 987 in OH
Is Bluffton a good place to live?
Bluffton is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, ranked 38th of 987 in Ohio. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 83% of the country, its schools rank ahead of 82% of Ohio towns, and it is more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in incomes. 27% of working residents work locally in Bluffton, where Ohio’s towns sit at 6.8% and U.S. towns at 8%. On civic life, just 11 of Ohio’s 1,560 towns do better. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University.
What makes Bluffton stand out
Where Bluffton beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Bluffton9.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical OH town3.9
Civic lifeA+
2.4 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Ohio town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here2,733
Residents who work1,386
Work
2 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
10.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,353 people come to Bluffton for work
Where Bluffton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,733jobs based in Bluffton
27%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Bluffton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Bluffton is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 3.7% of households have no carA−Open →HealthBluffton Hospital 0.6 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 31% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Jobs & income$76K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 3% conserved landA−Open →History13 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life9.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market49 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.0; 44% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bluffton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bluffton, and how to reach them.
PowerAEP Ohio19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBluffton Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerThe town’s contract hauler picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
SchoolsBluffton Exempted Village School DistrictCory-Rawson Local School District2 districts serve Bluffton; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDirector, Allen County Board of ElectionsAllen County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code4581745817 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bluffton.
Bluffton draws workers from Findlay and beyond and has less food insecurity than most of Ohio.
OutdoorsA−
Conserved land covers 3.3% of Bluffton
3.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The trail density in Bluffton is 0.9 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Bluffton Nature Preserve, 84 acres with 2.1 miles of trail.
#127for trails in OH
| Bluffton | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.3% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
3.3%
conserved · 79 of 2,407 acres
3.3 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bluffton Nature Preserve | 2.1 mi | 84 |
| 2. Bluffton Village Park | 0.5 mi | 51 |
| 3. Buckeye Park | 0.1 mi | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
About one in four working residents works right in Bluffton
2,733 jobs are based in Bluffton, 2 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 4 of Bluffton’s working residents works in town. Bluffton’s average trip to work is 18 minutes. Jobs based in Bluffton grew to 2,733 in 2023, 209 more than in 2013.
27%work in town
| Bluffton | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Bluffton27%
Lima9%
Findlay4%
Ada4%
Ottawa3%
15 mi
median commute distance
2,733
jobs based in Bluffton
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 85% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthA−
Bluffton’s grade for health is an A−
Its widest gap with Ohio is food insecurity: 7.8% of its 3,179 adults worry about having enough food, against 14.1% statewide.
11% of adults smoke cigarettes in Bluffton. Bluffton beats the Ohio average on 16 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 14% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Bluffton.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Bluffton | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 19% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 34% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
16 better15 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Bluffton | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.8% | 14.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.7% | 8.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 8.7% |
Bluffton Hospital
0.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
89th
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Bluffton
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 63 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Bluffton.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesEarthquakes
63
paid flood claims since 1979
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Bluffton, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Bluffton has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–36°
Spring40–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall44–64°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Bluffton
Bluffton's reported crime rate is well below Ohio's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2022.
| Bluffton | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 4.9 per 1,000 residents | 11.9 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bluffton0.5
Ohio3.2
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bluffton4.9
Ohio18.7
U.S.20
2
violent crimes reported in 2022
21
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B+
A typical Bluffton home is worth about $277K
The typical Bluffton home is worth about $277,000, up 4.9% in a year, 12% above the Ohio typical home. 67% of Bluffton households own their home.
$277KZillow home value
| Bluffton | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $823 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Bluffton$277K
Ohio$246K
Market temperature
49
days on market
99.5%
sale-to-list price
+4.9%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Campbell Hill and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bluffton. Close and well known come first.
37 mi MountainCampbell Hill
27 mi MuseumArmstrong Air and Space Museum
38 mi MuseumZane Shawnee Caverns
16 mi MuseumAllen County Museum
35 mi MuseumWood County Museum
16 mi MuseumHancock Historical MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Campbell Hill: Analogue Kid (talk)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Armstrong Air and Space Museum: Tysto, Public domain · Zane Shawnee Caverns: Darkbluejacket, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allen County Museum: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wood County Museum: Nyttend, Public domain · Hancock Historical Museum: Mbrickn, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bluffton
20pages on Bluffton
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 82% of OH districtsSafety0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2022)HealthA−Better than OH on 16 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$277K typical home · up 4.9% in a yearWork & commuteB−$76K median household income · 2,733 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 31% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Bluffton
Bluffton UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · BlufftonIn town$37,362 tuitionOhio Northern UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Ada9.3 mi$39,800 tuitionOhio State University-Lima CampusUniversity or college · Public · Lima12.8 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 Bluffton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
College town
13% of Bluffton is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Famous people from Bluffton
13 notable people were born in Bluffton.
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About Bluffton
Village in Ohio, United States
Bluffton, originally known as Shannon, is a village in Allen and Hancock counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,967 at the 2020 census. Bluffton is home to Bluffton University, a four-year educational institution affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Bluffton is served by the Bluffton general aviation airport. Bluffton participates in the Tree City USA program. The Allen County portion of Bluffton is part of the Lima, Ohio metropolitan area, while the Hancock County portion is part of the Findlay Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1861
- Area
- 3.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 833 ft
- ZIP code
- 45817
Questions about Bluffton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bluffton, OH a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Bluffton grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #38 of 987 in Ohio. It grades A− for health and A− for schools.
Is Bluffton, OH expensive?
Not for the area. That is 4.3 years of the area's median household income ($64,038 across the Lima, OH metro 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+.
What is Bluffton, OH known for?
13 notable people were born here, including Bob Latta and Carl C. Anderson.