Vermilion receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sandusky
Vermilion
Opportunity
59 · Top 44%
vs73 · Top 18%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
68 · Bottom 41%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs53 · Top 47%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 14%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Sandusky | Vermilion | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,606 | 10,343 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,139 | $69,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,788 | $42,220 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,554/sq mi | 976/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $113,100 | $183,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $905 | $1,099 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 80.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 34 | 39 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 88.9% | 8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.0" | 36.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 50.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.92 | 18.63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.3% | 63.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.4% | 58.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.1% | 44.6% | 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
Sandusky
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Vermilion
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Sandusky, OH · Vermilion, OH · How this is calculated: methodology