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Wooster, OH

Wooster, OH

Wooster · Photo: Rlboyer, CC0

A town of about 26,971 people in Wayne County.

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How Wooster fits your quiz
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

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Around Wooster

Where it is, what's close by, and trails.
Where it is
Wooster
Wooster in Ohio
Ohio in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Wooster's center.

10
grocery stores
21
restaurants
5
coffee shops
18
parks
21
playgrounds
4
libraries
1
movie theater
1
live theater
1
museum
5
bookstores
4
bars
2
hospitals

None found within 5 miles: pharmacies.

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Wooster.

Bike lanes and bike paths
12 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
27 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

Costs of moving here

Rent, the move itself, and getting set up.

What rent costs

Of about 3,950 rented homes in Wooster, 97% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 66%
$1,000 to $1,499: 26%
$1,500 to $1,999: 5%
$2,000 to $2,499: 0%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 3%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in Wooster rents for under $1,000 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about under $2,000 for first month plus a deposit, or up to under $3,000 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For rent under $1,000, that's a yearly income of about under $36,000.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Ohio: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Ohio DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Ohio voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Schools and childcare

Schools

10 public school districts in this county, with about 14,219 students in all. The county also has 3 public charter schools and 65 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.

Rittman AcademyBeacon Hill AcademyLiberty Preparatory SchoolOrrville Elementary SchoolOrrville High SchoolOrrville Middle SchoolHeartland Early Learning ProgramChippewa Jr./Sr. High SchoolChippewa Intermediate SchoolHazel Harvey Elementary SchoolChippewa Virtual Learning AcademyDalton Elementary SchoolDalton High SchoolDalton Middle SchoolGreen Middle SchoolGreen Elementary SchoolSmithville High SchoolNorwayne Middle SchoolNorwayne High SchoolNorwayne Elementary SchoolNorwayne Online SchoolApple Creek Elementary SchoolFredericksburg Elementary SchoolJohn R Lea Middle SchoolMount Eaton Elementary SchoolWaynedale High SchoolShreve Elementary SchoolTriway High SchoolTriway Middle SchoolWooster Twp Elementary SchoolRittman High SchoolRittman Middle SchoolRittman Elementary SchoolRittman Early Learning CenterCornerstone Elementary SchoolEdgewood Middle SchoolKean Elementary SchoolMelrose Elementary SchoolParkview Elementary SchoolWooster High SchoolWooster Littlest Generals PreschoolNorthwestern Middle SchoolNorthwestern High SchoolNorthwestern Elementary SchoolSs Peter & Paul School (private)St Mary of Immaculate Conception School (private)Central Christian School (private)Kingsway Christian School (private)Anderson School (private)Apple Grove (private)Beech Grove (private)Breezeway School (private)Calmoutier (private)Cherry Ridge School (private)Chestnut Valley (private)Country Corner (private)Country Meadow (private)Criswell (private)Cunningham Aden Schlabach (private)Deerfield (private)East Maysville (private)East Mt Eaton (private)Fountain Meadow (private)Fountain Nook C/O John Troyer (private)Frease Ridge (private)Geis Acres School (private)Green Meadow (private)Green Valley (private)Hidden View (private)Indian Valley (private)Iron Wood (private)Johnson School (private)Kohler Meadow (private)Maple Grove (private)Meadow Rock (private)Meadow Springs (private)Meadow Valley (private)Moreland School (private)Nebo Valley (private)North End (private)North Fork (private)Oak Grove II Dan Stutzman (private)Pleasant View I (private)Ridge View (private)Rock Valley (private)Scenic Knoll School (private)South Boone (private)South Millborne (private)South View (private)Spring Brook (private)Spring Hill (private)Spring Run (private)Stone Hill (private)Summit Valley (private)Sunny Meadow (private)Sunny View (private)Sunrise School (private)Troy Acres (private)Walnut Hill (private)West Maysville (private)Woodland (private)Deer Creek (private)Heritage Private School Inc. (private)Hogback (private)Orchard Lane School (private)Woodside (private)West Salem Christian Educators (private)Wooster Christian School (private)Montessori School of Wooster Ohio (private)SUMMIT COUNTYHOLMES COUNTYSTARK COUNTYASHLAND COUNTYWAYNE COUNTYWooster
Public Public charter Private County line District that covers the center of Wooster: Wooster City School District
District and county lines: U.S. Census Bureau. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.

Closest public schools to the center of Wooster

Elementary
Edgewood Middle School0.9 mi
Public
grades 5 to 7 · 738 students · 18.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 62%, math about 60% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Cornerstone Elementary School1.1 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 4 · 349 students · 15.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 46%, math about 36% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Melrose Elementary School1.2 mi
Public
grades K to 4 · 244 students · 17.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 60%, math about 50% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Middle
Edgewood Middle School0.9 mi
Public
grades 5 to 7 · 738 students · 18.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 62%, math about 60% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Wooster High School1.5 mi
Public
grades 8 to 12 · 1,165 students · 19.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 57%, math about 57% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Triway Middle School4.6 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 356 students · 19.8 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 69%, math about 62% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
High school
Wooster High School1.5 mi
Public
grades 8 to 12 · 1,165 students · 19.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 57%, math about 57% (state: reading about 59%, math about 54%)
Triway High School4.7 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 369 students · 12.7 per teacher
Liberty Preparatory School4.9 mi
Public charter
grades 10 to 12 · 43 students · 21.5 per teacher
Private
Montessori School of Wooster Ohio1.0 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 8 · 129 students · 4.6 per teacher
St Mary of Immaculate Conception School1.0 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 8 · 109 students · 7.2 per teacher
Wooster Christian School2.7 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 11 · 167 students · 10.4 per teacher

Straight-line miles from the center of Wooster, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on Ohio's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.

Public school districts in the county

Wooster City · Wooster
3,296 students · 18.9 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Triway Local · Wooster
1,433 students · 15.2 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Orrville City · Orrville
1,514 students · 15 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Norwayne Local · Creston
1,305 students · 18.4 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades K to 12
Chippewa Local · Doylestown
1,300 students · 17.6 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

School choice and pre-K in Ohio

Going to school in another district
State law lets each district decide whether to take students from other districts. Some do, some don't; ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law says families can ask for a different school in the same district, and the district must allow it when there's room.
Free state pre-K
13% of 4-year-olds and 5% of 3-year-olds in Ohio attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.

School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Ohio keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$222/week
about $11,500 a year
$170/week
about $8,800 a year
Toddler (2)$200/week
about $10,400 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$175/week
about $9,100 a year
$155/week
about $8,100 a year
School-age$126/week
about $6,600 a year

For an infant at a center: $222/week here, $265 across OH, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 14% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Ohio →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county around Wooster. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

The College of Wooster · Wooster
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,876 students · $59,550 a year
University of Akron Wayne College · Orrville
Public, 2-year (community college) · 1,361 students · $7,699 in-state, $14,372 out-of-state
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute · Wooster
Public, 2-year (community college) · 462 students · $9,310 in-state, $34,816 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $2,118 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in OH. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
12 per 100,000 people a year
14 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. OH average: 19.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 6.2 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 4,296 people without housing in the Ohio Balance of State area (81 counties): 2,815 in shelters and 1,481 outside, up from 4,089 in 2024. OH: 10.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$71,769
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.2% of home value a year
About $1,200 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.75%
OH's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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