Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Sandusky gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $153K for a typical one, or 2.1 years of the Sandusky metro’s $74K median household income. It grades C− overall, 885th among Ohio's 987 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and the median household income is $50K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 96% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 115 places on the National Register. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Sandusky, above both the Ohio town median (9.1%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Its National Register listings include Cedar Point Light and Rush R. Sloane House. Only 93 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on the outdoors.
Where Sandusky beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Its 115 National Register listings are more than in 99% of Ohio towns with a listing.
Census counts: 593 in 1830, 25,095 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1896 and 4 maps from 1904 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Sandusky is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for walkability (better than 97% of comparable towns) to D− for health (better than 5%), so the C− overall blends very different results.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sandusky. Close and well known come first.
Big drawin town Theme parkCedar Point3.8M visitors a yearin town Theme parkCastaway Bay
15 mi National MemorialPerry's Victory and International Peace Memorial124K visitors a year
14 mi CaveCrystal Cave8 mi Zoo & aquariumAfrican Safari Wildlife Park
28 mi MuseumAllen Memorial Art MuseumCedar Point: Larry Pieniazek, User:Lar, en:User:Lar (primary), CC BY 2.5 · Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial: NPS Photo, Public domain · Crystal Cave: Analogue Kid at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Allen Memorial Art Museum: Daderot, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sandusky, 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 Sandusky.
Sandusky has homes that are cheap against local pay and trades workers with Perkins Township and other neighbors, but it has poverty well above the Ohio rate.
All 4 graded neighbors score healthier than its D−, from Perkins Township (C−) to Huron Township (B).
46% of Sandusky adults have obesity. Sandusky beats the Ohio average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 17% of Sandusky adults have diabetes.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 28% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Sandusky | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 23.3% | 14.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 13.6% | 8.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 11.9% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Each of its 4 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its C, Huron Township highest at A.
Its public schools are run by the Sandusky City school district. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Sandusky High School, with 1,028 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Sandusky Intermediate SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–6 | Grades 3–6 | 892 | C− |
| Sandusky High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,028 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
At 2.1 years of the Sandusky metro’s $74K median household income, the typical home (about $153K) costs less against local pay than in 92% of Ohio towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living.
50% of households own their home in Sandusky. The typical Sandusky home is worth about $153,000, up 1.2% in a year, 38% below the Ohio typical home. Sandusky’s median rent is $905 a month.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $905 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
248 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 24 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 248 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Sandusky.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The property crime rate in Sandusky is 18.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 18.4 per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
5.5 miles of trail in 15 parks and preserves. Pipe Creek Wildlife Area, at 108 acres with 2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.9% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pipe Creek Wildlife Area | 2 mi | 108 |
| 2. Washington Park | 0.9 mi | 9 |
| 3. Dorn Community Park | 0.3 mi | 29 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Sandusky has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 22° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Sandusky has about as many jobs (10,256) as working residents, but only 2,708 people both live and work here.
About one in 4 of Sandusky’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Perkins Township (14%), Margaretta Township (6%) and Huron Township (3%). Half commute less than 8 miles.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 25% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
25.6% of residents live below the poverty line, against 13.3% across Ohio, which weighs on its D for jobs and income.
Sandusky has lost 4.5% of its people since 2020, down to 24,001 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 22% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Ohio.
| Sandusky | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 22% | 24% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.5 points). Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women. Median age: women 36.9, men 36.1.
| Sandusky | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.2% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.9% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 15% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.7% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.5% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.3% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.3% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 41.3% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.7% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.4% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sandusky
About 6 of every 100 Sandusky residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Ohio.
4.9% of the town is conserved land, across 15 parks and preserves.
115 places in Sandusky on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Erie County, Ohio, United States
Sandusky ( san-DUSS-kee) is a city in Erie County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo (45 miles (72 km) west) and Cleveland (50 miles (80 km) east). At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 25,095, and the Sandusky metropolitan area had 115,986 residents. Sandusky was established in the early 19th century and developed as a port city at the head of Sandusky Bay. It is home to Cedar Point, one of the most popular amusement parks in the world, as well as water parks including Cedar Point Shores, Castaway Bay, Great Wolf Lodge, and Kalahari. The owner of Cedar Point, Six Flags Entertai…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Sandusky.
All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C−; Margaretta Township (C+) is closest.
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky | #885 | C− | A− | C− | C | D− |
| Margaretta Township | #699 | C+ | B+ | — | B | C− |
| Huron Township | #206 | A− | B | — | A | B |
| Perkins Township | #598 | B− | B | C | B | C− |
| Danbury Township | #315 | B+ | B | — | A− | B |
Margaretta Township, Huron Township and Danbury Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Sandusky with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Sandusky grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #885 of 987 in Ohio. It grades D− for health, C− for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
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−.
.JPG){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
