Clermont County Economic Base Analysis
Prepared for:
Clermont County A clear understanding of the local economy is a cornerstone of effective economic development efforts. The information contained in this economic base analysis will serve as both a resource for Clermont County leaders in understanding economic development issues and a foundation for making decisions.
The Demographic Picture
Population
Clermont County is growing substantially: a population growth of more than 33,000 from 1990 to 2002. Clermont County’s attractiveness for homebuyers is the principal reason for this growth: during the 1990s, more than 90 percent of the population growth occurred in owner-occupied units.
During the 1990s, Clermont County grew at a faster rate than the Cincinnati metropolitan area, the state of Ohio and the U.S. Growth between 2000 and 2002 puts Clermont County among the top ten counties in Ohio in terms of both rate of growth (3.0%) and numerical growth (5,375). Within the Cincinnati CMSA, Clermont County is one of the four counties that account for almost all population growth in the region.
Recent growth within Clermont County has taken place on the western side of the county, in areas easily accessible to roads and other infrastructure. The townships of Batavia, Miami, Pierce and Union grew by an average of 28 percent, and together they account for almost 86 percent of the total population increase in the county.
Age and Income
Clermont County has a relatively younger population than the Cincinnati metropolitan area, and its median household income is considerably higher than that of the metro area.
Clermont County has a higher percentage of residents under 18 years of age, but a smaller percentage of 18 to 24 year-olds than the Cincinnati metropolitan area has. Among the over-35 age cohorts, Clermont County has markedly higher concentrations in the 35-44 and 45-54 cohorts. This age distribution creates a higher proportion of working age residents within Clermont County. Population growth has occurred in almost all age groups, but especially in the 35-44 and the 45-54 age groups.
The median household income for Clermont County is 10 percent higher than the median income for the entire Cincinnati metropolitan area. In proportion to the CMSA, Clermont County has fewer low to moderate income households and more middle to upper-middle income households.
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