BobEvansFarmRioGrandeJuly2007, 2007
Rio Grande’s story
180 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1846Rio Grande is settled
Rio GrandeOH
Photo: Vbofficial · Public domain
Population
837
2025 Census estimate · +15.6% since 2020
Median home value
$187K
Census ACS
Household income
$25K
median
Median age
21.7
years
Jobs based here
536
A job hub
Is Rio Grande a good place to live?
49% of residents live below the poverty line in Rio Grande, where Ohio’s towns sit at 9.1% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Of the 994 Ohio towns we compare, none has a lower share of households owning their home than Rio Grande. Rio Grande is home to University of Rio Grande. Rio Grande has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Rio Grande stand out
Where Rio Grande beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here536
Residents who work212
Work
2.5 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 96% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
The college
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| University of Rio Grande | 1,965 |
College town
1,965 college students
at University of Rio Grande
Students are part of everyday life here.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1846
A long history
A history going back 180 years.
College town
27% of Rio Grande is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Rio Grande: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rio Grande, and how to reach them.
PowerAEP Ohio19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRio Grande water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Rio Grande’s trash rules yet
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, Gallia County Board of ElectionsGallia County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP codes45674, 45614, 4568545674 94% · 45614 5% · 45685 2%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 Rio Grande.
Work & commute
Rio Grande stands out in Ohio and nationally: the average trip to work there is shorter
Half of commuters travel less than 17 miles. The top destinations are Green Township (10%), Gallipolis (8%) and Jackson (8%). For most workers, Rio Grande is a place to come home to: only 6% work in town. Since 2013, Rio Grande has lost 38 jobs, to 536 in 2023.
6%work in town
| Rio Grande | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.1% | 6.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Rio Grande6%
Green Township10%
Gallipolis8%
Jackson8%
Perry Township4%
17 mi
median commute distance
536
jobs based in Rio Grande
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Rio Grande faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected losses in Rio Grande break down as 67% from inland flooding and 17% from heat waves. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage here than in 73% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Rio Grande after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2012.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat waves
1
paid flood claims since 2023
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Rio Grande: four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 86° and January nights of 24°, with about 14 inches of snow a winter.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring41–66°
Summer62–84°
Fall44–67°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Rio Grande’s adults feel lonely than in the typical Ohio or U.S. town
In Rio Grande, a quarter of adults report frequent mental distress, against 18% in Ohio’s towns and 17% across U.S. towns, and for adults here, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 22%. Among 994 Ohio towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Rio Grande. Against the Ohio average, Rio Grande comes out ahead on 7 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 13.
| Rio Grande | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 26% | 23% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 34% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
7 better12 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Rio Grande | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.5% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.5% | 13.2% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.2% | 7.7% |
Holzer Medical Center
8.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$260Kmedian sale price
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rio Grande
17pages on Rio Grande
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Rio Grande
University of Rio GrandeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rio GrandeIn town$20,560 tuition
College town 27 of every 100 Rio Grande residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Small town
837 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Rio Grande
Village in Ohio, United States
Rio Grande ( RY-oh GRAND) is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States. The population was 724 at the 2020 census. It is part of the rural Point Pleasant micropolitan area. Although the town is named after the river in the southern United States, its name is pronounced "Rye-O Grand" rather than the traditional Spanish pronunciation. Rio Grande is home to the University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College It is also the original location of Bob Evans Restaurants. The restaurant chain began as a single truck stop diner in Rio Grande.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 650 ft
- ZIP code
- 45674
Questions about Rio Grande
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rio Grande, OH a good place to live?
Rio Grande has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Rio Grande, OH known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Clyde Evans and Davis Eugene Boster.