Across the 15 MORPC counties the typical home lists near $340,000 and goes to contract in about 73 days. Ross County is the tightest market; Hocking County gives buyers the most room.
Regional overview, then one page per MORPC county. January 2026.
across 15 counties
typical time to contract
homes for sale region-wide
| County | Median price | DOM | Active | Price YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County | $535,000 | 74 | 358 | -2.7% |
| Fairfield County | $359,900 | 67 | 209 | -3.0% |
| Fayette County | $224,500 | 81 | 60 | +5.9% |
| Franklin County | $299,900 | 64 | 1,761 | +1.7% |
| Hocking County | $499,900 | 98 | 93 | +23.1% |
| Knox County | $340,000 | 79 | 98 | -2.3% |
| Licking County | $375,000 | 73 | 297 | -8.1% |
| Logan County | $265,000 | 74 | 98 | -3.5% |
| Madison County | $351,745 | 67 | 52 | +9.5% |
| Marion County | $177,450 | 70 | 97 | -12.3% |
| Morrow County | $324,999 | 72 | 53 | -4.7% |
| Perry County | $225,544 | 98 | 51 | -14.4% |
| Pickaway County | $350,000 | 74 | 115 | -9.1% |
| Ross County | $244,950 | 57 | 106 | -2.0% |
| Union County | $529,950 | 73 | 123 | -6.7% |
Tightest market: Ross County · Slowest: Hocking County. Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Realtor.com inventory, Census ACS income.
This is the first issue. Starting next month, every report opens by showing exactly how the prior month's forecast compared to what actually happened, so the track record is transparent and self-correcting.
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+43.8%) while prices soften (+1.1%).Dilution market
For investors · Stable. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $523,740 home runs about 21.8% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 87% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 84% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 100% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.64% of value, roughly $8,610 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 97% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.5% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $64,964. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 72% of peers, which lifts both grades.
15% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 74 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 37th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +1.1% year over year while inventory is +43.8%, which places Delaware County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +2.1% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 85% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 13th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 37th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 85th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 72th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 13th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 100th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 62th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 3th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 72th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 29th pct |
Delaware County grades C+ on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (85th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (13th percentile). Delaware County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (100th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is property taxes (3th percentile).
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+13.9%) while prices soften (+1.5%).Dilution market
For investors · Stable. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $368,127 home runs about 22.8% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 92% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.15% of value, roughly $4,224 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 24th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.8% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $48,012. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 70% of peers, which lifts both grades.
16% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 67 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 29th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +1.5% year over year while inventory is +13.9%, which places Fairfield County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit -2.2% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 90% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 8th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 29th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 90th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 70th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 8th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 90th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 71th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 24th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 70th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 32th pct |
Fairfield County grades C on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (90th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (8th percentile). Fairfield County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (90th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (8th percentile).
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+39.5%) while prices soften (+1.0%).Dilution market
For investors · Strong. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $236,105 home runs about 21.2% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 83% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 69% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 93% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.96% of value, roughly $2,272 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is middle of the pack, around the 42th percentile of peers, so the tax bill is neutral to affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.2% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +2.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $39,426. On economic vitality that is top-tier, ahead of 83% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts both grades.
10% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 81 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is above average, ahead of 70% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +1.0% year over year while inventory is +39.5%, which places Fayette County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit -4.9% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 94% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 17th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 70th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 94th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 83th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 17th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 53th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 30th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 42th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 83th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 28th pct |
Fayette County grades B on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (94th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (17th percentile). Fayette County grades C on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (83th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (17th percentile).
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+8.4%) while prices soften (+0.2%).Dilution market
For investors · Stable. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $301,043 home runs about 22.0% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 88% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 58% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is above average, ahead of 76% of peers, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.55% of value, roughly $4,657 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 95% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,288. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 67% of peers, which lifts both grades.
18% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 64 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 84% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +0.2% year over year while inventory is +8.4%, which places Franklin County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit -0.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 88% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 12th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 16th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 88th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 67th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 12th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 86th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 84th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 5th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 67th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 22th pct |
Franklin County grades C on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (88th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (12th percentile). Franklin County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (86th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is property taxes (5th percentile).
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+53.7%) and prices are still climbing (+2.5%).Expansion market
For investors · Cooling. Ride the wave, but make sure your exit price is realistic given the supply flood.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $281,735 home runs about 24.8% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 96% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.01% of value, roughly $2,858 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 36th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.6% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $38,111. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 58th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
18% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 98 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 82% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +2.5% year over year while inventory is +53.7%, which places Hocking County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +77.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is near the bottom of the region, behind 94% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 4th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 18th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 6th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 58th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 4th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 56th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 82th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 36th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 58th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 43th pct |
Hocking County grades D on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (58th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (4th percentile). Hocking County grades C on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is buyer leverage (82th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (4th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-8.8%) and pushing prices up (+5.3%).Scarcity market
For investors · Stable. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $286,203 home runs about 20.9% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 22th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.07% of value, roughly $3,074 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 30th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.8% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +1.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $40,571. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 79% of peers, which lifts both grades.
16% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 79 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 27th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +5.3% year over year while inventory is -8.8%, which places Knox County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +18.8% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is middle of the pack, around the 48th percentile of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 22th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 27th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 48th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 79th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 22th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 84th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 73th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 30th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 79th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 82th pct |
Knox County grades C on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (79th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (22th percentile). Knox County grades B- on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (84th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (22th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (+2.9%) and pushing prices up (+2.0%).Scarcity market
For investors · Stable. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $337,573 home runs about 22.5% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 90% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 67% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 91% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.26% of value, roughly $4,242 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 82% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $46,457. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 69% of peers, which lifts both grades.
15% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 73 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 36th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +2.0% year over year while inventory is +2.9%, which places Licking County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +11.1% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 66% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 10th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 36th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 66th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 69th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 10th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 87th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 64th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 18th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 69th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 36th pct |
Licking County grades C on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (69th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (10th percentile). Licking County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (87th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (10th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-5.8%) and pushing prices up (+3.2%).Scarcity market
For investors · Stable. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Strong. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $251,060 home runs about 19.6% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 37th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 68% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 92% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.05% of value, roughly $2,625 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 33th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $42,611. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 70% of peers, which lifts both grades.
17% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 74 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 23th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +3.2% year over year while inventory is -5.8%, which places Logan County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +5.6% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 78% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 37th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 23th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 78th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 70th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 37th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 67th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 77th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 33th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 70th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 51th pct |
Logan County grades C+ on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (78th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is liquidity & pricing discipline (23th percentile). Logan County grades B- on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is buyer leverage (77th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is property taxes (33th percentile).
“The Ghost Town. Both prices (+0.9%) and supply (-10.3%) are contracting.Stagnation market
For investors · Strong. Low liquidity. Confirm it is not a new-build or luxury bifurcation before acting.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $318,982 home runs about 20.7% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 24th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 94% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.05% of value, roughly $3,359 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 32th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.6% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,993. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 76% of peers, which lifts both grades.
8% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 67 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is above average, ahead of 80% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +0.9% year over year while inventory is -10.3%, which places Madison County in the ↙ Stagnation quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +10.3% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 67% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 24th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 80th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 67th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 76th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 24th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 81th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 20th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 32th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 76th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 28th pct |
Madison County grades B- on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is liquidity & pricing discipline (80th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (24th percentile). Madison County grades C on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (81th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is buyer leverage (20th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (+0.5%) and pushing prices up (+5.2%).Scarcity market
For investors · Strong. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Strong. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $178,101 home runs about 16.8% of a local paycheck. That is above average, ahead of 66% of peers, so affordability helps the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 48% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers, which is neutral to the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.98% of value, roughly $1,744 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 39th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.2% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is -0.3% year over year; typical worker earnings run $37,641. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 55th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
14% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 70 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is below average, behind most peers (the 39th percentile). For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +5.2% year over year while inventory is +0.5%, which places Marion County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit -0.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 88% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 66th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 39th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 88th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 55th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 66th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 29th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 61th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 39th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 55th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 81th pct |
Marion County grades B on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (88th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is liquidity & pricing discipline (39th percentile). Marion County grades B- on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is equity / appreciation (81th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is schools & education (29th percentile).
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+9.3%) and prices are still climbing (+1.9%).Expansion market
For investors · Stable. Ride the wave, but make sure your exit price is realistic given the supply flood.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $279,164 home runs about 21.2% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 83% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 60% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 80% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.10% of value, roughly $3,070 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 28th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.1% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $41,545. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 69% of peers, which lifts both grades.
28% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 72 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 99% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +1.9% year over year while inventory is +9.3%, which places Morrow County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +16.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is middle of the pack, around the 52th percentile of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 17th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 1th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 52th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 69th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 17th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 61th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 99th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 28th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 69th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 35th pct |
Morrow County grades C- on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (69th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is liquidity & pricing discipline (1th percentile). Morrow County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is buyer leverage (99th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (17th percentile).
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+5.1%) while prices soften (-0.1%).Dilution market
For investors · Strong. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Stable. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $219,957 home runs about 18.4% of a local paycheck. That is middle of the pack, around the 50th percentile of peers, so affordability is neutral to the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 63% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 84% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.93% of value, roughly $2,043 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers, so the tax bill is neutral to affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.5% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $41,151. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 60th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
10% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 98 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is above average, ahead of 66% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running -0.1% year over year while inventory is +5.1%, which places Perry County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +2.5% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 84% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 50th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 66th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 84th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 60th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 50th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 52th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 33th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 45th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 60th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 20th pct |
Perry County grades B on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (84th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (50th percentile). Perry County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (60th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is equity / appreciation (20th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-2.5%) and pushing prices up (+4.0%).Scarcity market
For investors · Stable. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $331,194 home runs about 24.5% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 95% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.03% of value, roughly $3,426 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 34th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.0% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,037. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 71% of peers, which lifts both grades.
18% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 74 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 81% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +4.0% year over year while inventory is -2.5%, which places Pickaway County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +5.7% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 78% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 5th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 19th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 78th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 71th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 5th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 78th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 81th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 34th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 71th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 66th pct |
Pickaway County grades C- on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is reality gap (list vs value) (78th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (5th percentile). Pickaway County grades C+ on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is buyer leverage (81th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is affordability (5th percentile).
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-10.2%) and pushing prices up (+2.2%).Scarcity market
For investors · Stable. Move fast and expect competition. Full-ask offers are common.
To live here · Strong. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are holding steady.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $204,603 home runs about 18.5% of a local paycheck. That is middle of the pack, around the 49th percentile of peers, so affordability is neutral to the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 58% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is above average, ahead of 75% of peers, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.99% of value, roughly $2,036 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 38th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 4.0% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is -1.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $40,787. On economic vitality that is below average, behind most peers (the 31th percentile), which drags both grades.
24% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 57 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 96% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +2.2% year over year while inventory is -10.2%, which places Ross County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +19.7% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 49th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 4th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 45th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 31th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 49th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 54th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 96th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 38th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 31th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 39th pct |
Ross County grades C- on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is affordability (49th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is liquidity & pricing discipline (4th percentile). Ross County grades B- on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is buyer leverage (96th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is jobs & economy (31th percentile).
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+18.8%) while prices soften (+1.9%).Dilution market
For investors · Stable. Negotiate hard. Target stale listings over 90 days for concessions.
To live here · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.10% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $415,871 home runs about 20.5% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 25th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
County schools average 77% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 99% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.25% of value, roughly $5,218 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 82% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.4% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $55,678. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 79% of peers, which lifts both grades.
20% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 73 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts hand leverage to buyers. For an investor this market is near the bottom of the region, behind 90% of peers. For someone buying a home, the same softness is good news: more room to negotiate.
Prices are running +1.9% year over year while inventory is +18.8%, which places Union County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +27.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is below average, behind most peers (the 33th percentile). A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
Every factor is scored by where this county ranks among 505 peer counties (Ohio plus the five bordering states), then weighted. Higher percentile is better.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 25th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 10th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 33th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 79th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 25th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 96th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 90th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 18th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 79th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 35th pct |
Union County grades C- on the investor lens. Its strongest factor is jobs & economy (79th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is liquidity & pricing discipline (10th percentile). Union County grades B- on the resident lens. Its strongest factor is schools & education (96th percentile of peers); its biggest drag is property taxes (18th percentile).