Home of Prof. Scarborough, 1899
Wilberforce’s story
159 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1899.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1867Wilberforce is settled
WilberforceOH
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,951
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$146K
Census ACS
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
20.1
years
Jobs based here
822
Balanced
Is Wilberforce a good place to live?
The best of Wilberforce’s subject grades are a B+ for history and health. Wilberforce University Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Wilberforce has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestAHazard risk
What makes Wilberforce stand out
Where Wilberforce beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
1historic places
HistoryB+
Settled in 1867
1 place on the National Register
A history going back 159 years.
32 measures vs. Ohio
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| Widest gap | Wilberforce | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 2% | 8.7% |
HealthB+
Healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
How Wilberforce grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Wilberforce is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthKettering Health Greene Memorial 2.6 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 5.3% of households have no car; 34.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Jobs & income$67K median household income; 822 jobs based hereC+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $146K, 2 years of the Dayton metro’s $72K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsBehind 57% of Ohio districts on tests and graduationC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 105 attractions →National Museum of the United States Air Force and 24 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Wilberforce. Close and well known come first.
13 mi MuseumNational Museum of the United States Air Force1.0M visitors a year
Big draw33 mi Theme parkKings Island3.5M visitors a year13 mi MuseumNational Aviation Hall of Fame300K visitors a year
15 mi LandmarkMadonna of the Trail
11 mi MuseumHuffman Prairie
11 mi National Historical ParkDayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park80K visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
National Museum of the United States Air Force: No machine-readable author provided. Rogerd assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kings Island: Eli Duke from Portland, OR, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Madonna of the Trail: W. Guy Finley, Public domain · Huffman Prairie: Wright Brothers, Public domain · Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park: Chris Light (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Wilberforce: who provides what
Wilberforce is unincorporated, so Greene County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerAES Ohio16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGreene County Eastern Regional PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesGreene CountyGreene County provides services here
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, Greene County Board of ElectionsGreene County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2024
ZIP codes45384, 4538545384 94% · 45385 6%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 Wilberforce.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Wilberforce has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 86% of U.S. communities. 45% of Wilberforce’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 23%.
14risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
Wilberforce stands out in Ohio and nationally, with fewer of its adults who have diabetes
In Wilberforce, 15% of adults binge drink, below both the Ohio town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). Among 994 Ohio towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than Wilberforce. Nearly a quarter of adults have been diagnosed with depression in the town. This Ohio town beats the Ohio average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
74%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Wilberforce | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 5% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Wilberforce | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 2% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 2.2% | 7.1% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 15.9% | 7.7% |
Kettering Health Greene Memorial
2.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Wilberforce, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 21° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 20 inches of snow a winter.
20″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–39°
Spring42–63°
Summer62–83°
Fall44–65°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
A job hub: Wilberforce has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 799 commuters
For most workers, Wilberforce is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. In Wilberforce, the mean commuting time is 17 minutes, against 24 minutes in Ohio’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. The share of residents in Wilberforce who live below the poverty line: 16%. Half commute less than 21 miles.
4%work in town
| Wilberforce | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 6.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Wilberforce4%
Xenia10%
Columbus6%
Dayton5%
Beavercreek4%
21 mi
median commute distance
822
jobs based in Wilberforce
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
3%conserved
3%
conserved · 60 of 1,965 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prairie Grass Trail | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B
The median home in Wilberforce sells for about $551K
Wilberforce: 67% of households live in a home they own.
$551Kmedian sale price
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wilberforce
18pages on Wilberforce
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
10 within 15 miles of the center of Wilberforce
Payne Theological SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · WilberforceIn townCentral State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Wilberforce0.2 mi$8,058 in-state tuitionWilberforce UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Wilberforce0.6 mi$16,448 tuition
College town 74 of every 100 Wilberforce residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
About Wilberforce
Census-designated place in Ohio, United States
Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,410 at the 2020 census. It is home to two historically black universities, Wilberforce University and Central State University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,007 ft
- ZIP code
- 45384
Wilberforce’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Wilberforce.
Xenia TownshipCedarville TownshipXeniaWilberforce
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilberforce | — | — | B | — | C+ | B+ |
| Xenia Township | #577 | B− | B− | — | C+ | B− |
| Cedarville Township | – | A+ | C+ | — | A+ | A− |
| Xenia | #831 | C | B+ | C+ | C+ | C− |
Wilberforce has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Wilberforce, Xenia Township and Cedarville Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Wilberforce with a neighbor →
Questions about Wilberforce
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wilberforce, OH expensive?
The typical home is worth about $146,000, 41% below the Ohio typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.