The Town FilesOttawa, Ohio
Village in Putnam County · population 4,456 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $190,700
- Household income
- $69,950
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 42.3
Ottawa is a village of 4,456 people in Putnam County, Ohio. The median home is worth $190,700, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Ohio towns, better for families than 90% of Ohio towns, better for retirees than 83% of Ohio towns.
How Ottawa ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ottawa is worth $190,700, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $69,950, which is more affordable than 48% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $803 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ottawa | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $190,700 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $803 | $914 |
| Median household income | $69,950 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ottawa
| People | Ottawa | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.0% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 90.9% |
Weather in Ottawa
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 38.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.7 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ottawa since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 24, 2001 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 7, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Putnam County since 1996
Putnam County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| August 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| August 27, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1720: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Putnam County
Putnam County had 12,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,046 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Ottawa itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Ottawa
3 public schools with 1,499 students, about 17.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa-Glandorf High School | 9-12 | 564 | 20.9 |
| Glandorf Elementary School | K-8 | 537 | 16.8 |
| Ottawa Elementary School | K-8 | 398 | 15.9 |
Towns near Ottawa
- Bluffton, OH11.7 mi · 3,967 people · home $212,400
- Lima, OH19.7 mi · 35,579 people · home $107,200
- Delphos, OH19.8 mi · 7,117 people · home $129,600
- Ada, OH20.6 mi · 5,334 people · home $160,500
- Findlay, OH20.8 mi · 40,313 people · home $191,000
- North Baltimore, OH22.1 mi · 3,369 people · home $117,900
- Fort Shawnee, OH24.1 mi · 6,263 people · home $208,700
- Defiance, OH24.9 mi · 17,066 people · home $139,900
Ottawa questions
Is Ottawa, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ottawa scores better for retirees than 83% of Ohio towns and quieter than 45%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Ottawa?
The median owner-occupied home in Ottawa is valued at $190,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,950, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $803 a month.
What is the weather like in Ottawa?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 10.7 inches of snow.
Does Ottawa get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ottawa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 24, 2001. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)