Putnam County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Ottawa’s story
Ottawa in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
OttawaOH
A town of 4,441. Healthier than 59% of U.S. towns.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
4,441
−0.1% since 2010
Median home value
$191K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
42.3
years
Jobs based here
3,529
A job hub
What makes Ottawa stand out
The 3 things Ottawa does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Ottawa
Health
Healthier than 59%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than OH on 12 measures, worse on 1.
3,529jobs here
Work
3,529 jobs
based in Ottawa, a regional job hub
25% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#309 most walkable in OH
0.4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
1.6% of the town is conserved land.
A job hub
Every workday, about 3,006 people come to Ottawa for work
Where Ottawa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,529jobs based in Ottawa
25%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Ottawa’s report card
Now in Ottawa
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Ottawa is #480 of 484 in OH for “Losing population”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Ottawa’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ottawa. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 59% of U.S. towns
Ottawa beats the Ohio average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Ohio
12 better19 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Ottawa | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.7% | 8.3% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.6% | 15.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.7% |
Bluffton Hospital
11.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
79th
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Ottawa
About one in 4 of Ottawa’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Findlay (8%), Lima (6%) and Kalida (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
25%work in town
Where working residents work
In Ottawa25%
Findlay8%
Lima6%
Kalida4%
Leipsic3%
18 mi
median commute distance
3,529
jobs based in Ottawa
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
1.6% of Ottawa is conserved land
0.4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
1.6%conserved
1.6%
conserved · 46 of 2,942 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
#309
most walkable in OH
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | 0.4 mi | 33 |
| 2. Putnam County Fairgrounds | — | 34 |
| 3. Arrowhead Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoes
365
paid flood claims since 1978
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Ottawa has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–36°
Spring40–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall44–64°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Ottawa
Ottawa's reported crime rate is well below Ohio's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 5 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Ottawa1.1
Ohio2.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Ottawa2.9
Ohio14.7
U.S.15.5
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
13
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
3 places in Ottawa on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Ottawa
Village in Ohio, US
Ottawa is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located about 51 miles (82 km) southwest of Toledo. The population is 4,456 as of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 4,456
- Area
- 4.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 466 ft
- ZIP code
- 45875
- Area code
- 419
Ottawa’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Ottawa.