The Town FilesAtwater, Ohio
Community in Portage County · population 776 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $130,400
- Household income
- $56,467
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 33.5
Atwater is a community of 776 people in Portage County, Ohio. The median home is worth $130,400, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Ohio towns, easier by car than 98% of Ohio towns, better for families than 87% of Ohio towns.
How Atwater 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 Atwater is worth $130,400, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $56,467, which is more affordable than 74% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $791 a month. 65.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Atwater | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,400 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $791 | $914 |
| Median household income | $56,467 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 65.2% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Atwater
| People | Atwater | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 2.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 90.9% |
Weather in Atwater
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.3 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwater since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 12, 1992 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 12, 1956.
Severe weather in Portage County since 1996
Portage County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3250: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1556: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Portage County
Portage County had 56,561 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,670 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Atwater itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Atwater
4 public schools with 1,177 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Elementary School | PK-6 | 469 | 24.7 |
| Southeast Junior High School | 6-8 | 364 | 17.3 |
| Waterloo High School | 9-12 | 225 | 12.5 |
| Waterloo Middle School | 7-8 | 119 | 19.8 |
Towns near Atwater
- Bolton, OH6.3 mi · 654 people · home $103,300
- Alliance, OH8.3 mi · 21,672 people · home $125,400
- Suffield, OH9.5 mi · 949 people · home $215,600
- Maple Ridge, OH9.8 mi · 667 people · home $153,200
- Sebring, OH10.2 mi · 4,191 people · home $90,300
- Ravenna, OH10.2 mi · 11,323 people · home $139,700
- Hartville, OH10.4 mi · 3,329 people · home $266,900
- Lake Milton, OH10.5 mi · 637 people · home $493,800
Atwater questions
Is Atwater, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Atwater scores better for retirees than 17% of Ohio towns and quieter than 37%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Atwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Atwater is valued at $130,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,467, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $791 a month.
What is the weather like in Atwater?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 44.3 inches of snow.
Does Atwater get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Atwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 12, 1992. 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)