Hilliard receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Galion
Hilliard
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs89 · Top 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs64 · Top 25%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs56 · Top 44%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs79 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Galion | Hilliard | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,339 | 38,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,176 | $128,189 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,978 | $54,897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,392/sq mi | 2,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $112,700 | $385,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $803 | $1,632 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.6% | 68.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.0% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 60.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 168 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -17.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.5" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.56 | 16.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.2% | 62.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 60.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.5% | 34.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Galion
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Hilliard
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Galion, OH · Hilliard, OH · How this is calculated: methodology