The Town FilesOrwell, Ohio
Village in Ashtabula County · population 1,533 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $125,900
- Household income
- $41,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 37.7
Orwell is a village of 1,533 people in Ashtabula County, Ohio. The median home is worth $125,900, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks more of a college town than 74% of Ohio towns.
How Orwell 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 Orwell is worth $125,900, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $41,563, which is more affordable than 30% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $816 a month. 48.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orwell | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,900 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $816 | $914 |
| Median household income | $41,563 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 48.9% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Orwell
| People | Orwell | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 90.9% |
Weather in Orwell
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 16.5°F. About 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.8 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1985 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 20, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 18, 2014.
Severe weather in Ashtabula County since 1996
Ashtabula County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| January 3, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4098: Severe Storms And Flooding Due To The Remnants Of Hurricane Sandy |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| April 24, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3286: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Ashtabula County
Ashtabula County had 29,406 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,141 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Orwell itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Orwell
4 public schools with 933 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Valley Elementary School | K-4 | 318 | 16.7 |
| Grand Valley High School | 9-12 | 274 | 13.0 |
| Grand Valley Middle School | 5-8 | 250 | 12.5 |
| Bloomfield High School | 6-12 | 91 | 6.1 |
Towns near Orwell
- Roaming Shores, OH7.3 mi · 1,586 people · home $226,200
- Rock Creek, OH8.6 mi · 667 people · home $136,900
- West Farmington, OH11.7 mi · 542 people · home $127,600
- Middlefield, OH12.2 mi · 2,748 people · home $199,800
- Jefferson, OH14.7 mi · 3,226 people · home $200,300
- Kinsman Center, OH15.3 mi · 574 people · home $118,100
- Andover, OH15.7 mi · 972 people · home $128,400
- Burton, OH15.8 mi · 1,407 people · home $222,700
Orwell questions
Is Orwell, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orwell scores better for retirees than 28% of Ohio towns and quieter than 65%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).
How much does a house cost in Orwell?
The median owner-occupied home in Orwell is valued at $125,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $41,563, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $816 a month.
What is the weather like in Orwell?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 16.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.9 inches of precipitation a year and 77.8 inches of snow.
Does Orwell get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orwell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1985. 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)