The Town FilesWellston, Ohio
City in Jackson County · population 5,412 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,000
- Household income
- $56,193
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.1
Wellston is a city of 5,412 people in Jackson County, Ohio. The median home is worth $124,000, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100).
How Wellston 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 Wellston is worth $124,000, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $56,193, which is more affordable than 79% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $534 a month. 70.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wellston | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,000 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $534 | $914 |
| Median household income | $56,193 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 70.7% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wellston
| People | Wellston | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.0% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.0% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.0% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 36.0 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 90.9% |
Weather in Wellston
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 20.8°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.3 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wellston since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 2, 2024 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 31, 1998.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| April 8, 2019 | Flood | DR-4424: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 17, 2018 | Flood | DR-4360: Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 10,126 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,877 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Wellston itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Wellston
4 public schools with 1,265 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellston High School | 9-12 | 370 | 20.6 |
| Bundy Elementary School | PK-2 | 333 | 18.5 |
| Wellston Middle School | 6-8 | 284 | 12.9 |
| Wellston Intermediate School | 3-5 | 278 | 14.6 |
Towns near Wellston
- Jackson, OH7.6 mi · 6,252 people · home $153,600
- Waverly, OH23.9 mi · 4,165 people · home $168,900
- Athens, OH27.5 mi · 23,849 people · home $247,000
- The Plains, OH27.6 mi · 3,140 people · home $233,500
- Gallipolis, OH27.7 mi · 3,313 people · home $119,900
- Point Pleasant, WV28.6 mi · 4,070 people · home $118,000
- Chillicothe, OH29.0 mi · 22,059 people · home $162,500
- Nelsonville, OH29.1 mi · 4,612 people · home $99,200
Wellston questions
Is Wellston, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wellston scores better for retirees than 11% of Ohio towns and quieter than 48%. 17.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Wellston?
The median owner-occupied home in Wellston is valued at $124,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,193, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $534 a month.
What is the weather like in Wellston?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 20.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 20.3 inches of snow.
Does Wellston get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wellston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 2, 2024. 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)