Mercer County vs Preble County
A side-by-side comparison of Mercer County and Preble County: population, income, housing, and more.
Mercer County and Preble County are counties in Ohio. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Mercer County has the higher population (42,438 vs 40,802 in Preble County). Mercer County has the higher median household income ($78,036 vs $71,237 in Preble County). Mercer County has the higher median home value ($208,600 vs $171,100 in Preble County).
Population, income & housing
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,438 | 40,802 |
| Median age | 39.1 yrs | 43.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $78,036 | $71,237 |
| Median home value | $208,600 | $171,100 |
| Median gross rent | $812 | $803 |
| Housing units | 18,023 | 18,106 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 79.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 17.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8% | 3.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,884 → 42,438 (+3.8%) | 41,093 → 40,802 (-0.7%) |
| Median household income | $62,952 → $78,036 (+24.0%) | $58,957 → $71,237 (+20.8%) |
| Median home value | $153,800 → $208,600 (+35.6%) | $125,100 → $171,100 (+36.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $679 → $812 (+19.6%) | $741 → $803 (+8.4%) |
Mercer County
40,88442,438
$62,952$78,036
$153,800$208,600
$679$812
Preble County
41,09340,802
$58,957$71,237
$125,100$171,100
$741$803
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.9% | 17.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.0% | 7.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 11.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 12.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.6% | 14.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.0% | 12.1% |
| 75 and over | 7.6% | 7.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.4% | 95.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.2% | 1.1% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.3% | 7.4% |
| High school graduate | 43.5% | 46.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 29.0% | 28.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.2% | 10.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.0% | 7.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 87.5% | 83.6% |
| Carpooled | 6.4% | 7.3% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 3.7% | 6.6% |
| Other means | 0.4% | 0.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 81.3% | 86.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.7% | 5.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| 20 or more units | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.0% | 3.3% |
Poverty & households
| Mercer County | Preble County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 11.2% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 19 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1974 | 1972 |
Full profiles
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