1973 Willard, Ohio tornado, 1973
Willard’s story
109 years in pictures
Census counts: 662 in 1880, 6,197 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1973 and 4 maps from 1915 on.
- 1917Willard is settled
Photo: Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
6,130
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$167K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
3,429
Balanced
TownGrade
B
#480 of 987 in OH
Is Willard a good place to live?
Willard gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $167K, 2.5 years of the Norwalk area’s $68K median household income. It grades B overall, ranked 480th of 987 in Ohio. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 77% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. 26% of working residents work locally in Willard, against 6.8% in Ohio’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Willard City Park, at 39 acres. Willard is more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns.
What makes Willard stand out
Where Willard beats most towns.
Typical home value
Willard$167K
Ohio$246K
Cost of livingA−
More affordable than 83% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA−
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Willard1
Ohio2.9
U.S.3.3
SafetyB+
66% less violent crime than OH
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Willard grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Willard is from typical.
Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 18% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthMercy Health - Willard Hospital 2.4 miles awayC−Open →SafetyB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 7.5% of households have no car; 4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Jobs & incomeCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landC+Open →History3 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market28 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.6; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Willard: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Willard, and how to reach them.
PowerAEP Ohio19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWillard City water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpWillard Recycling Area (general recycling program at Water Pollution Control Plant)Drop-offTown site
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, Huron County Board of ElectionsHuron County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code4489044890 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 Willard.
Willard is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it has seen reported crime rise by about half.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Very low risk in Willard, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 82% of U.S. communities.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC+
Willard’s schools rank behind 57% of Ohio districts
Its public schools are run by the Willard City school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Willard High School, with 319 students.
43%of OH districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willard Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 558 | C+ |
| Willard High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 319 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Compared with most of Ohio and the rest of the country, more of Willard’s adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance
Against the 6,964 U.S. towns with household incomes like Willard’s, it is less healthy than 53%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
12% of Willard adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Willard beats the Ohio average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 33% of Willard adults get no exercise outside work.
23%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Willard | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 28% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Willard | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 12.2% | 8% |
| More adults who get no exercise | 33% | 26.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 17% | 14.1% |
Mercy Health - Willard Hospital
2.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
32nd
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living, Willard earns an A−
At 2.5 years of the Norwalk area’s $68K median household income, the typical home (about $167K) costs less against local pay than in 78% of Ohio towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $1,176, against $2,822 across Ohio, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical Willard home is worth about $167,000, up 2.3% in a year, 32% below the Ohio typical home. 67% of households own their home in Willard.
$167KZillow home value
| Willard | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $889 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Willard$167K
Ohio$246K
Market temperature
28
days on market
103.6%
sale-to-list price
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyB+
Crime per resident in Willard is lower than in 72% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes rose from 50 to 77 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 6 reported in 2025, 1 per 1,000 residents.
72%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Willard1
Ohio2.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Willard11.7
Ohio14.7
U.S.15.5
72nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
72nd
percentile among OH towns
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
71
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Willard
Willard has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 18° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–36°
Spring38–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall42–63°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Willard has 1.4 jobs for every working resident, and 2,769 people commute in
About one in 4 of Willard’s working residents works in town. Willard’s median household income is $54,000. Since 2013, Willard has lost 294 jobs, to 3,429 in 2023.
26%work in town
| Willard | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Willard26%
New Haven Township9%
Norwalk6%
Shelby4%
Mansfield3%
14 mi
median commute distance
3,429
jobs based in Willard
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC+
Willard has set aside 2.6% of its land for conservation
0.1 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
2.6%conserved
2.6%
conserved · 59 of 2,296 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Willard City Park | 0.1 mi | 39 |
| 2. Willard Soccer Complex | — | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Willard
20pages on Willard
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 57% of OH districts · 4 schoolsSafetyB+1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than OH on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$167K typical home · up 2.3% in a yearWork & commuteC$54K median household income · 3,429 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 18% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Willard; the nearest are
North Central State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mansfield19 mi$4,624 in-state tuitionOhio State University-Mansfield CampusUniversity or college · Public · Mansfield19.2 mi$9,488 in-state tuitionTerra State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fremont30.7 mi$5,748 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Willard residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Famous people from Willard
3 notable people were born in Willard.
About Willard
City in Ohio, United States
Willard is a city in southwestern Huron County, Ohio, United States, approximately 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Norwalk. The population was 6,197 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1917
- Area
- 3.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 928 ft
- ZIP code
- 44888, 44890
Willard’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Willard.
New Haven TownshipRichmond TownshipGreenfield TownshipNorwich TownshipWillard
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willard | #480 | B | A− | B+ | C+ | C− |
| New Haven Township | — | — | A− | — | C+ | C |
| Richmond Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Greenfield Township | — | — | B− | — | C+ | C |
| Norwich Township | — | — | A | — | B | C |
New Haven Township, Greenfield Township and Norwich Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. New Haven Township, Greenfield Township and Norwich Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Richmond Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Willard with a neighbor →
Questions about Willard
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Willard, OH a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Willard grades B overall, better than 60% of U.S. towns and #480 of 987 in Ohio. It grades C− for health, B+ for safety and C+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Willard, 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 Willard, OH known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Robert Joseph Baker and William L. Fiesinger.