The Town FilesChesapeake, Ohio
Village in Lawrence County · population 765 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,100
- Household income
- $54,219
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 47.5
Chesapeake is a village of 765 people in Lawrence County, Ohio. The median home is worth $118,100, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks more of a college town than 88% of Ohio towns, better for cycling than 84% of Ohio towns, better for young professionals than 76% of Ohio towns.
How Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake is worth $118,100, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $54,219, which is more affordable than 79% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $857 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chesapeake | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,100 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $857 | $914 |
| Median household income | $54,219 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chesapeake
| People | Chesapeake | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 10.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 90.9% |
Weather in Chesapeake
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 24.7°F. About 45.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.2 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesapeake since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 8, 1965 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 85 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 23, 1962.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence 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 Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 13,641 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,517 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Chesapeake itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Chesapeake
4 public schools with 1,822 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 6-12 | 600 | 6.7 |
| Chesapeake Elementary School | PK-4 | 492 | 19.7 |
| Chesapeake Middle School | 5-8 | 382 | 15.9 |
| Chesapeake High School | 9-12 | 348 | 16.6 |
Towns near Chesapeake
- Huntington, WV1.6 mi · 46,842 people · home $127,200
- Burlington, OH3.9 mi · 2,416 people · home $127,500
- Proctorville, OH4.1 mi · 523 people · home $118,100
- Ceredo, WV5.4 mi · 1,408 people · home $126,800
- South Point, OH6.7 mi · 3,836 people · home $184,000
- Kenova, WV7.0 mi · 3,033 people · home $109,000
- Lavalette, WV7.2 mi · 932 people · home $190,200
- Pea Ridge, WV7.3 mi · 6,602 people · home $188,500
Chesapeake questions
Is Chesapeake, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chesapeake scores better for retirees than 71% of Ohio towns and quieter than 58%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Chesapeake?
The median owner-occupied home in Chesapeake is valued at $118,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,219, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $857 a month.
What is the weather like in Chesapeake?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 24.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 10.2 inches of snow.
Does Chesapeake get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesapeake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 8, 1965. 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)