Oberlin is a small town where college students really create the town feel and character. So many small towns have lost population over the last 20-30 years that having the local college presence in the Oberlin area, with all of the energy of the students filling area dorms and apartments each fall, really helps Oberlin maintain a good economy.
For a small city, there is also a high proportion of single, often educated, people living in Oberlin. This is not typical for smaller communities in America, and adds a feeling of vibrancy to Oberlin.
Compared to the rest of the country, citizens of Oberlin spend much less time in their cars: on average, their commute to work is only 18.58 minutes. This also means that noise and pollution levels in the city are less than they would otherwise be.
If knowledge is power, Oberlin is a pretty powerful place. 53.82% of the adults in Oberlin have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.
The per capita income in Oberlin in 2022 was $32,995, which is middle income relative to Ohio and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $131,980 for a family of four. However, Oberlin contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Oberlin is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Oberlin home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Oberlin residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Oberlin include German, English, Irish, Italian, and Polish.
The most common language spoken in Oberlin is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Chinese.
