Tiffin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Tiffin
Fostoria
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
49 · Bottom 47%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 28%
vs43 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Tiffin | Fostoria | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,818 | 12,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,198 | $54,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,465 | $27,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,463/sq mi | 1,630/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $142,200 | $87,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $890 | $809 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 66.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 330.0% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.7" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 39.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.15 | 15.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.1% | 24.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.9% | 36.1% | 2019-20 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
Tiffin
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Fostoria
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: Tiffin, OH · Fostoria, OH · How this is calculated: methodology