Metro area profile · Ohio
Sandusky, OH metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Sandusky metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 112,777
- −2.6% since 2020
- Households
- 50,986
- Median household income
- $73,502
- Median home value
- $207,500
- Jobs located here
- 46,448
- Highest market score
- 71
- Dentists and orthodontists, #44 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Sandusky metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Sandusky metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 112,777 people live in the Sandusky metro area, in 50,986 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Sandusky metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −2.6%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Sandusky metro area is $73,502 a year, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Sandusky metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (67).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Sandusky metro area are for dentists and orthodontists (71), tire shops (71) and physical therapy clinics (70). The Sandusky metro area ranks #44 of 387 scored metro areas for dentists and orthodontists.
The Sandusky metro area takes in 2 counties: Erie County and Ottawa County. For its number of households, the Sandusky metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (95% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for child care centers and preschools (47% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Sandusky metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Sandusky metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentists and orthodontists | 71 | #44 of 387 | 40 | 7.8 | $1.8M | 179 | 35 |
| Tire shops | 71 | #56 of 386 | 8 | 1.6 | $6.8M | 272 | 6 |
| Physical therapy | 70 | #55 of 386 | 18 | 3.5 | $3.9M | 163 | 12 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 70 | #56 of 381 | 12 | 2.4 | $4.5M | 147 | 8 |
| Auto repair shops | 68 | #62 of 387 | 87 | 17.1 | $626K | 141 | 44 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 66 | #69 of 387 | 260 | 51.0 | $271K | 177 | 155 |
| Auto repair and car care | 63 | #95 of 387 | 175 | 34.3 | $311K | 116 | 64 |
| Chiropractors | 61 | #102 of 386 | 17 | 3.3 | $4.1M | 173 | 14 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 60 | #95 of 387 | 16 | 3.1 | $2.7M | 134 | 9 |
| Child care and preschools | 59 | #124 of 387 | 16 | 3.1 | $1.2M | 124 | 14 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 58 | #114 of 373 | 9 | 1.8 | Index only | 200 | 3 |
| Nail salons | 57 | #124 of 387 | 17 | 3.3 | $2.9M | 174 | 9 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 57 | #135 of 387 | 26 | 5.1 | $2.7M | 152 | 79 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 56 | #128 of 387 | 191 | 37.5 | $258K | 121 | 43 |
| Property management | 55 | #132 of 374 | 8 | 1.6 | Index only | 158 | 14 |
| Spas and skin care | 55 | #148 of 387 | 50 | 9.8 | $986K | 113 | 6 |
| Dry cleaners | 53 | #131 of 272 | 5 | 1.0 | $19.6M | 125 | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 53 | #135 of 347 | 9 | 1.8 | $4.8M | 118 | 11 |
| Barbershops | 52 | #176 of 387 | 19 | 3.7 | $2.6M | 138 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 51 | #197 of 387 | 29 | 5.7 | $10.5M | 113 | 16 |
| Hair salons | 49 | #188 of 387 | 105 | 20.6 | $469K | 109 | 27 |
| Veterinarians | 47 | #216 of 384 | 17 | 3.3 | $2.5M | 90 | 9 |
| Car washes and detailing | 47 | #220 of 387 | 20 | 3.9 | $2.7M | 108 | 10 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 46 | #222 of 387 | 27 | 5.3 | $5M | 105 | 38 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 46 | #229 of 387 | 72 | 14.1 | $601K | 91 | 20 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 43 | #189 of 290 | 6 | 1.2 | $9.1M | 66 | 3 |
| Real estate | 43 | #251 of 387 | 143 | 28.0 | Index only | 113 | 51 |
| Home repair trades | 42 | #245 of 387 | 64 | 12.6 | $2.1M | 87 | 61 |
| Insurance agencies | 41 | #243 of 387 | 67 | 13.1 | $1.3M | 100 | 39 |
| Pest control | 40 | #243 of 345 | 6 | 1.2 | $10.2M | 100 | 5 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 39 | #258 of 385 | 21 | 4.1 | $2.9M | 100 | 49 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 38 | #293 of 386 | 22 | 4.3 | $3.2M | 102 | 11 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 38 | #301 of 387 | 124 | 24.3 | Index only | 104 | 26 |
| Gyms | 38 | #304 of 387 | 47 | 9.2 | $921K | 71 | 11 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 37 | #284 of 387 | 80 | 15.7 | $1.2M | 96 | 41 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 37 | #285 of 387 | 40 | 7.8 | $1.5M | 91 | 75 |
| Electricians | 37 | #296 of 383 | 16 | 3.1 | $8.4M | 70 | 16 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 36 | #289 of 387 | 110 | 21.6 | $890K | 101 | 49 |
| Roofing and gutters | 36 | #298 of 381 | 21 | 4.1 | $6.4M | 76 | 7 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 35 | #296 of 387 | 111 | 21.8 | $2.7M | 81 | 27 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 33 | #314 of 386 | 22 | 4.3 | $1.9M | 75 | 9 |
| Pet businesses | 33 | #323 of 387 | 67 | 13.1 | $625K | 71 | 23 |
| Laundromats | 31 | #297 of 364 | 8 | 1.6 | $12.2M | 98 | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 29 | #325 of 387 | 62 | 12.2 | $4.9M | 62 | 11 |
| House cleaning | 29 | #341 of 375 | 13 | 2.5 | $4.7M | 74 | 21 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 28 | #323 of 387 | 77 | 15.1 | $2.5M | 82 | 115 |
| Gas stations | 27 | #338 of 387 | 83 | 16.3 | $1.7M | 70 | 44 |
| Funeral homes | 24 | #341 of 377 | 21 | 4.1 | $412K | 61 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 22 | #375 of 387 | 76 | 14.9 | $2.5M | 69 | 33 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 20 | #379 of 387 | 82 | 16.1 | $2.4M | 57 | 37 |
| Pet stores | 17 | #375 of 382 | 14 | 2.7 | $3M | 66 | 5 |
| Pizza | 16 | #375 of 387 | 73 | 14.3 | $2.6M | 52 | 115 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 13 | #385 of 387 | 804 | 157.7 | $240K | 65 | 294 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 13 | #385 of 387 | 389 | 76.3 | $497K | 75 | 145 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.6 | $23.5M | 96 | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Sandusky metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $54.5M | $1,068 | 112 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $138.6M | $2,719 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $193.2M | $3,790 | 93 |
| Groceries | $303.5M | $5,952 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $49.3M | $967 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $19.9M | $390 | 67 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $43.3M | $849 | 86 |
| Medical and dental services | $70.4M | $1,380 | 107 |
| Pets | $41.9M | $821 | 90 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $97.9M | $1,920 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $83.9M | $1,645 | 84 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $134.7M | $2,642 | 88 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $61.2M | $1,200 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $701.4M | $13,756 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Sandusky metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 112,777−2.6% since 2020
- Households
- 50,986
- Median age
- 46.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 76%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 506 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 226
- Median household income
- $73,502
- Average household income
- $96,712
- Median home value
- $207,500
- Jobs located here
- 46,448
- Daytime population
- 109,099Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Sandusky metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Sandusky metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Sandusky metro area 2
- Erie County, OH74,581 people
- Ottawa County, OH39,994 people
Other markets based in Ohio 12
- Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area2,270,706 people
- Columbus, OH metro area2,175,788 people
- Cleveland, OH metro area2,171,526 people
- Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH metro area816,080 people
- Akron, OH metro area699,820 people
- Toledo, OH metro area602,322 people
- Youngstown-Warren, OH metro area427,420 people
- Canton-Massillon, OH metro area400,372 people
- Springfield, OH metro area135,158 people
- Mansfield, OH metro area125,099 people
- Lima, OH metro area101,348 people
- Wooster, OH area116,588 people
Questions
How fast is the Sandusky, OH metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Sandusky metro area at 112,777 people in 2025, down 2.6% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 50,986 households.
How much do households in the Sandusky, OH metro area spend?
Households in the Sandusky metro area spend about $701.4M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $303.5M on groceries and $193.2M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Sandusky metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 112, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (67).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Sandusky, OH metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Sandusky metro area, dentists and orthodontists (71), tire shops (71) and physical therapy clinics (70) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For dentists and orthodontists, that ranks #44 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Sandusky, OH metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Sandusky metro area is $73,502, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 2.6% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $207,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (95% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for child care centers and preschools (47% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in the Sandusky metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Sandusky metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Sandusky metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Sandusky metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.