City · Belmont County, Ohio

Martins Ferry, Ohio

Martins Ferry is a city in Belmont County, Ohio, part of the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area. It has 6,140 residents. Martins Ferry, Ohio has a quality-of-life score of 19 out of 100 (very low), ranking #12,743 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Ohio it ranks #648 of 684 cities and towns. It ranks best on property crime rate (low), gyms and fitness centers (high) and time spent in the emergency room (low). It ranks worst on child care cost burden (high), poverty rate (high) and preventable hospital stays (high).

19Very low

Quality-of-life score: #12,743 of 15,651 cities and towns
Ohio: #648 of 684 in OH
Population: 6,140 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 2,636.9 /mi²
FIPS code: 3948104

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety64#5,625/15,637
Economy0#15,593/15,631
Housing58#6,263/14,977
Health8#14,307/15,609
Healthcare20#12,448/15,650
Environment21#12,277/15,453
Education47#8,372/15,649
Infrastructure15#13,363/15,650
Community23#12,004/15,651
Leisure & amenities65#5,442/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Martins Ferry, Ohio ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Belmont County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Property crime rate · low370 /100k
94/100Ohio 1,429 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureBelmont County value
Gyms and fitness centers · high2.0 /10k
91/100Ohio 1.2 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBelmont County value
Time spent in the emergency room · low117 min
89/100Ohio 161 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesBelmont County value
Public libraries · high1.5 /10k
87/100Ohio 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesBelmont County value
Drought exposure · low5%
86/100Ohio 11%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAABelmont County value
Average commute time · low19.3 min
86/100Ohio 23.4 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high50.0%
1/100Ohio 31.7%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBelmont County value
Poverty rate · high34.3%
1/100Ohio 12.6%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Preventable hospital stays · high5,122 /100k
1/100Ohio 3,269 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBelmont County value
Job growth · low-4.6%
2/100Ohio -0.2%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataBelmont County value
Unemployment rate · high14.1%
3/100Ohio 4.7%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Median household income · low$37,467
4/100Ohio $72,259United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
6,646 (2015-2019) → 6,140 (2020-2024)
−7.6%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateWorsening
30.6% (2015-2019) → 54.3% (2020-2024)
+24 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
31.7% (2015-2019) → 53.9% (2020-2024)
+22 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Poverty rateWorsening
18.4% (2015-2019) → 34.3% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
72.8% (2015-2019) → 84.1% (2020-2024)
+11 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
1.7× (2015-2019) → 2.6× (2020-2024)
+53%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Martins Ferry, Ohio improved on 1 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+11 points72.8% → 84.1%

Declined5

Poverty+16 points18.4% → 34.3%
Child poverty+24 points30.6% → 54.3%
Rent burden+22 points31.7% → 53.9%
Rent / income+6 points25.4% → 31.4%
Price / income+0.9×1.7× → 2.6×

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Martins Ferry, Ohio between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	21.5 min2015-2019	19.3 min2020-2024	−2.2 min	Within the margin of error	72%
Bachelor's degree or higher	13.2%2015-2019	13.4%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Broadband subscriptions	72.8%2015-2019	84.1%2020-2024	+11 points	Improved	66%
Child poverty rate	30.6%2015-2019	54.3%2020-2024	+24 points	Declined	3%
Effective property tax rate	1.25%2015-2019	1.32%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	8%
High school diploma or higher	89.0%2015-2019	88.0%2020-2024	−0.9 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Home price to income ratio	1.7×2015-2019	2.6×2020-2024	+0.9×	Declined	26%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4512015-2019	0.4572020-2024	+0.006	Within the margin of error	45%
Median household income	$42,3482015-2019	$37,4672020-2024	−12%	Within the margin of error	3%
Poverty rate	18.4%2015-2019	34.3%2020-2024	+16 points	Declined	1%
Rent as share of income	25.4%2015-2019	31.4%2020-2024	+6 points	Declined	18%
Rent-burdened households	31.7%2015-2019	53.9%2020-2024	+22 points	Declined	7%
Unemployment rate	6.3%2015-2019	14.1%2020-2024	+7.8 points	Within the margin of error	1%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.5%2015-2019	7.8%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	42%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Martins Ferry, Ohio five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Martins Ferry, Ohio in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Martins Ferry, Ohio itself moved −15.3 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

6,140 residents (±18)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,895 households (±234)

Martins Ferry, Ohio
Ohio share

Under $25k32%921
$25k–50k26%†744
$50k–75k10%294

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,895 households (±234)

Martins Ferry, Ohio
Ohio share

Own54%1,561
Rent46%1,334

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−10.0 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,563 workers (±311)

Martins Ferry, Ohio
Ohio share

Drive alone85%2,189
Carpool5.1%†130
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Wheeling, WV-OH

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Belmont County, the county holding most of Martins Ferry's residents.

Belmont County has 1,379 employer establishments, 212 for every 10,000 residents (0.85× the US rate of 248; 0.98× Ohio's), with 18,121 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,998. The Census Bureau also counts 3,331 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,379; 3,331 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 212; US 248 · Ohio 216
Paid employees: 18,121
Average annual pay: $47,998; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Belmont County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	107	16.5	0.90×About typical	2,196	$17,889	10
Ambulatory health care services	102	15.7	0.75×Fewer than typical	1,275	$47,018	166
Specialty trade contractors	64	9.8	0.64×Fewer than typical	596	$65,154	269
Limited-service restaurants	58	8.9	1.11×About typical	1,157	$16,637	7
Religious organizations	54	8.3	1.50×More than typical	203	$18,448	—
Truck transportation	49	7.5	1.49×More than typical	598	$58,779	73
Lessors of real estate	41	6.3	0.51×Fewer than typical	185	$37,027	339
Gasoline stations	40	6.2	1.90×More than typical	386	$29,453	—
Full-service restaurants	35	5.4	0.70×Fewer than typical	929	$18,606	3
Automotive repair and maintenance	34	5.2	1.04×About typical	145	$48,641	76
Offices of other health practitioners	34	5.2	0.86×About typical	393	$30,229	75
Services to buildings and dwellings	32	4.9	0.73×Fewer than typical	509	$53,236	182

Rank places for an industry Open Belmont County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 65,003 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Martins Ferry, Ohio: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

15.9KFY2017
490.9FY2018
-162.9FY2023

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Martins Ferry, Ohio, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Martins Ferry is mostly in Belmont County.

See federal money in Belmont County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Martins Ferry, Ohio is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Michael A. RulliR-OH-6 · 100% of residentsWith party 96%Missed 5.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Belmont County41100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Wheeling, WV-OH40

Other cities and towns in Belmont County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3948104

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends