About one in 4 of Upper’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Ironton (20%), Ashland (13%) and Huntington (6%). Half commute less than 9 miles.

Ironton

20%

Ashland, KY

13%

Huntington, WV

Portsmouth

23%Work in townlive and work in Upper 9 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 4,894Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Upper →

Health in Upper

D⁻

Health Grade D−

Healthier than 4% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Ohio

1better than OH·23worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 8 are too close to call.

Conditions 10▼ 2 close Habits 1▲ 2▼ 1 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

13.8%Fewer binge drinkersOH 16.6% · better 12.6%More adults with COPDOH 8% · worse

Care nearby

King's Daughters' Medical CenterAshland · 5 mi · ER

Ironton Health Care CampusIronton · 1.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

3 health centers in Upper →

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP code 45638 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Upper →

Natural hazards in Upper

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌡️ Heat waves

41Does Upper flood?paid flood claims since 1978 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Upper MapUpper vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Upper →

Climate in Upper

Full climate →

Upper has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

45° / 26°Winter

67° / 42°Spring

86° / 63°Summer

68° / 45°Fall

How much snow does Upper get?About 6 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 30, with the last in spring around Apr 16.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.3° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Upper →

Schools in Upper

All Upper schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Upper’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 52% of Ohio’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Upper’s schools compare in OH →

DistrictDawson-Bryant LocalSchools5

St. Lawrence SchoolElementary · Grades PK–6 · 114 students Dawson-Bryant Middle School CMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 262 students Ironton High School CHigh · Grades 9–12 · 377 students Dawson-Bryant High School CHigh · Grades 9–12 · 272 students St. Joseph High SchoolHigh · Grades 7–12 · 59 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within OH. Ratings are from neighbors.