View source for Lima, Ohio

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 757
|1860= 1989
|1870= 4500
|1880= 7567
|1890= 15981
|1900= 21723
|1910= 30508
|1920= 41326
|1930= 42287
|1940= 44711
|1950= 50246
|1960= 51037
|1970= 53734
|1980= 47827
|1990= 45549
|2000= 40081
|2010= 38771
|2020= 35579
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR2" /><ref name="Census1960">{{cite web|title=Number of Inhabitants: Ohio|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/37749282v1p37_ch02.pdf|date=1960|work=18th Census of the United States|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=April 26, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Census1990">{{cite web|title=Ohio: Population and Housing Unit Counts|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-37.pdf|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref>
| align = right
| align-fn = center
}}

The percentage of college graduates is 9.5%, according to the US Census Bureau.<ref name="2000_census">[http://censtats.census.gov/data/OH/1603943554.pdf U.S. Census Bureau] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911193949/http://censtats.census.gov/data/OH/1603943554.pdf |date=September 11, 2008}} General Demographic Profile of Lima (pdf format)</ref> The city has the highest crime rate for a city its size (20,000–60,000) in Ohio and also the 9th highest per capita in 2006, according to the FBI.<ref name="FBI_crim_statistics">[https://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/documents/06tbl08oh.xls] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023175251/https://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/documents/06tbl08oh.xls|date=October 23, 2014}}</ref>

===2020 census===

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], Lima had a population of 35,579. The median age was 35.9 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.6 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME%2CDP1_0021P%2CDP1_0024P%2CDP1_0025C%2CDP1_0049C%2CDP1_0045C%2CDP1_0069C%2CDP1_0073C%2CDP1_0125P%2CDP1_0126P%2CDP1_0129P%2CDP1_0133P%2CDP1_0137P%2CDP1_0138P%2CDP1_0139P%2CDP1_0141P%2CDP1_0142P%2CDP1_0143P%2CDP1_0145P%2CDP1_0146P%2CDP1_0147C%2CDP1_0148C%2CDP1_0149C%2CDP1_0156C%2CDP1_0157C%2CDP1_0158C%2CDP1_0159P%2CDP1_0160P&for=place%3A43554&in=state%3A39|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 2, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL"/>

99.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.5% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME%2CP2_002N%2CP2_003N&for=place%3A43554&in=state%3A39|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=February 2, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 14,237 households in Lima, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 26.1% were married-couple households, 24.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 16,028 housing units, of which 11.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.7%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A43554&in=state%3A39|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 2, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| [[White Americans|White]] || 21,556 || 60.6%
|-
| [[African Americans|Black or African American]] || 9,908 || 27.8%
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]] || 143 || 0.4%
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]] || 206 || 0.6%
|-
| [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islander]] || 20 || 0.1%
|-
| Some other race || 660 || 1.9%
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] || 3,086 || 8.7%
|-
| ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race)'' || 1,485 || 4.2%
|}

===2010 census===
As of the census<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> of 2010, there were 38,771 people, 14,221 households, and 8,319 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|2857.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 16,784 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1236.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 67.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 26.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 14,221 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.8% were married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.09.

The median age in the city was 32.9 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.9% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 11.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.8% male and 47.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 40,081 people, 15,410 households, and 9,569 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|3,135.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 17,631 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,379.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 71.30% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 24.48% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.31% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.51% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.97% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.42% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 1.97% of the population.

There were 15,410 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The [[median income]] for a household in the city was $27,067, and the median income for a family was $32,405. Males had a median income of $29,149 versus $22,100 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,882. About 19.2% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.