2016 · Porter Gap from the road · Wikimedia Commons
Upper’s story
Upper in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
UpperOH
A town of 14,088. Public schools that outperform most of Ohio.
8 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
14,088
−6.3% since 2010
Median home value
$113K
Census ACS
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
40.3
years
Jobs based here
4,894
Balanced
What makes Upper stand out
The 3 things Upper does most differently from other towns.
B−School Grade
Schools
Better than 48%
of OH districts
School Grade B−.
100 U.S. towns● Upper
Health
96% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than OH on 1 measures, worse on 23.
Outdoors
#331 most conserved land in OH
0.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
5.6% of the town is conserved land.
Upper’s report card
Now in Upper
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Residents weigh in
Upper is #1 of 1,011 in OH for “Least snow”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Upper’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Upper. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Upper’s public schools outperform 48% of Ohio districts
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.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lawrence School Private | PK–6 | 114 | |
| Dawson-Bryant Middle School | 6–8 | 262 | C |
| Ironton High School | 9–12 | 377 | C |
| Dawson-Bryant High School | 9–12 | 272 | C |
| St. Joseph High School Private | 7–12 | 59 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Health
Healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Upper beats the Ohio average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 23.
D−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Ohio
1 better8 too close to call23 worse
| What stands out | Upper | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.8% | 16.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 8% |
King's Daughters' Medical Center
5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
2nd
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
5.6% of Upper is conserved land
0.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
5.6%conserved
5.6%
conserved · 881 of 15,811 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#331
most conserved land in OH
#473
most walkable in OH
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Joe Swarts Sports Complex | — | 9 |
| 2. Paul Porter Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Beechwood Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Upper
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.
23%work in town
Where working residents work
In Upper23%
Ironton20%
Ashland13%
Huntington6%
Portsmouth4%
9 mi
median commute distance
4,894
jobs based in Upper
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat waves
41
paid flood claims since 1978
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
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.
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–45°
Spring42–67°
Summer63–86°
Fall45–68°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
About Upper
Township in Ohio, US
Upper Township is one of the fourteen townships of Lawrence County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,451.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 14,451
- Area
- 25 sq mi
- Elevation
- 591 ft
Upper’s neighbors
8 towns share a border with Upper.
IrontonHamiltonPerryCoal GroveElizabethRussellWestwoodLawrenceUpper
More about Upper
Still missing for Upper:upcoming events