Basinger Road stone bungalow, 2015
Pandora’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1883Pandora is settled
PandoraOH
A town of 1,149, settled in 1883.
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,149
2025 Census estimate · −4.3% since 2020
Typical home
$240K
+6.9% in a year
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
36.3
years
Jobs based here
406
A commuter town
Is Pandora a good place to live?
Pandora’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and schools. Only 23 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on cost of living. 2.9% of residents live below the poverty line in Pandora, against 9.1% in Ohio’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Pandora has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Pandora stand out
Where Pandora beats most towns.
Small town
1,149 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Pandora grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Pandora is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →SchoolsBeat 95% of Ohio districts on tests and graduationA+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.2 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 4.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →HealthHealthier than 52% of U.S. towns; Bluffton Hospital 4.9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life5.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pandora: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pandora, and how to reach them.
PowerAEP Ohio19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPandora Village PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offBluffton Yard Waste Recycling Center, 5 miOpenStreetMap
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, Putnam County Board of ElectionsPutnam County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code4587745877 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 Pandora.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Pandora’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Pandora for work: only 9% work in town. Since 2013, Pandora has added 33 jobs, to 406 in 2023. At $65,000, Pandora’s median household income is where Ohio’s towns sit at $75,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000.
9%work in town
| Pandora | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 9.7% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Pandora9%
Findlay10%
Ottawa10%
Lima9%
Bluffton7%
16 mi
median commute distance
406
jobs based in Pandora
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Pandora
Pandora 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
Who lives here
An age mix much like Ohio’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Ohio average. The median age in Pandora is 36.3 years. Pandora has lost 4.3% of its people since 2020, down to 1,149 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
36.3median age · OH 39.7
| Pandora | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 23% | 22% | 22% |
PandoraOhioUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school36%
Some college24%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.7 points. Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Pandora | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.2% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 11.4% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.3% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.2% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.4% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.9% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.6% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.7% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.3% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,100, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Pandora, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pandora.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
3
paid flood claims since 1981
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A+
The typical home in Pandora is valued at about $240K
The typical Pandora home is worth about $240,000, up 6.9% in a year, close to the Ohio typical home.
$240KZillow home value
Typical home value
Pandora$240K
Ohio$246K
+6.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB−
Fewer of Pandora’s adults sleep under 7 hours than in the typical Ohio or U.S. town
32% of Pandora adults sleep under 7 hours. Pandora beats the Ohio average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 18% of Pandora adults binge drink.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Pandora | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 38% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9.8% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
7 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Pandora | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.8% | 14.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6% | 8.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.7% |
Bluffton Hospital
4.9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 20 attractions →Armstrong Air and Space Museum and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pandora. Close and well known come first.
29 mi MuseumArmstrong Air and Space Museum
17 mi MuseumAllen County Museum
33 mi MuseumWood County Museum
17 mi MuseumHancock Historical Museum
17 mi MuseumMazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books
37 mi MuseumH.E. Fledderjohann PropertySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Armstrong Air and Space Museum: Tysto, Public domain · Allen County Museum: WeaponizingArchitecture, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wood County Museum: Nyttend, Public domain · Hancock Historical Museum: Mbrickn, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books: Ruhrfisch (talk), CC BY-SA 4.0 · H.E. Fledderjohann Property: Nyttend, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pandora
18pages on Pandora
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Pandora
Bluffton UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bluffton4.4 mi$37,362 tuitionOhio Northern UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Ada14 mi$39,800 tuitionOhio State University-Lima CampusUniversity or college · Public · Lima14.8 mi$9,488 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Pandora residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Ohio.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Pandora for work
Where Pandora’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
406jobs based in Pandora
9%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Pandora
Village in Ohio, United States
Pandora is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States, located on the Riley Creek. The population was 1,204 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 774 ft
- ZIP code
- 45877
Questions about Pandora
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pandora, OH expensive?
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 A+.
What is Pandora, OH known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Arthur H. Day and Seth Burkholder.