Marion County, Ohio

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,359. Its county seat is Marion. The county was erected by the state of Ohio on February 20, 1820 and later reorganized in 1824. It is named for General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion, a South Carolinian officer in the Revolutionary War. Marion County comprises the Marion, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Ohio by total area.

Adjacent counties

Crawford County (northeast)
Morrow County (east)
Delaware County (south)
Union County (southwest)
Hardin County (west)
Wyandot County (northwest)

Major highways

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 65,359. The median age was 41.2 years. 21.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 112.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 114.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 86.8% White, 6.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.

65.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 34.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 24,932 households in the county, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.1% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|64,906

|60,644

|60,580

|59,733

|style='background: #ffffe6; |56,114

|95.49%

|94.35%

|91.49%

|89.82%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |85.86%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|2,214

|2,688

|3,779

|3,754

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,051

|3.26%

|4.18%

|5.71%

|5.65%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.20%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|91

|139

|120

|97

|style='background: #ffffe6; |140

|0.13%

|0.22%

|0.18%

|0.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%

|Asian alone (NH)

|245

|281

|340

|326

|style='background: #ffffe6; |358

|0.36%

|0.44%

|0.51%

|0.49%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.55%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|27

|style='background: #ffffe6; |15

|0.00%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|Other race alone (NH)

|110

|37

|96

|56

|style='background: #ffffe6; |167

|0.16%

|0.06%

|0.14%

|0.08%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|576

|1,005

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,558

|0.87%

|1.51%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.91%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|408

|485

|723

|1,503

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,956

|0.60%

|0.75%

|1.09%

|2.26%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.99%

|Total

|67,974

|64,274

|66,217

|66,501

|style='background: #ffffe6; |65,359

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 66,501 people, 24,691 households, and 16,837 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 27,834 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.1% white, 5.7% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.8% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population.

Of the 24,691 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.8% were non-families, and 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 39.9 years.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 66,217 people, 24,578 households, and 17,253 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 26,298 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 92.10% White, 5.75% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 24,578 households, out of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 106.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,709, and the median income for a family was $45,297. Males had a median income of $33,179 versus $23,586 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,255. About 7.40% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Prior to 1940, Marion County supported Democrats in presidential elections, only voting for Republican candidates five times from 1856 to 1936. But starting with the 1940 election, the county has become a Republican stronghold in presidential elections with Lyndon B. Johnson being the only Democrat to win since, but Bill Clinton came within just 630 votes of winning it in 1996.

Government

Marion County is represented by two members of the Ohio House of Representatives, as it is split between the 86th and 87th Ohio House Districts. State Representative Tracy Richardson, elected in 2018, represents the 86th Ohio House district, and Riordan T. McClain, appointed in 2018, serves the 87th Ohio House District.

The entirety of Marion County lies within the 26th Ohio Senate District, currently represented by Bill Reineke, who defeated Democrat Craig Swartz in the 2020 Ohio Senate election.

Education

Colleges and universities

Marion Technical College
Ohio State University, Marion Campus

Public school districts

Five school districts cover the majority of Marion County:

Elgin Local Schools
Marion City School District
Pleasant Local School District
Ridgedale Local School District
River Valley Local School District

Additionally, Buckeye Valley Local School District, Cardington-Lincoln Local Schools, Northmor Local School District, and Upper Sandusky Exempted Village School District cover small areas on the edges of the county.

Communities

thumb|300 px|Map of Marion County, Ohio with municipal and township labels

City

Marion (county seat)

Villages

Caledonia
Green Camp
La Rue
Morral
New Bloomington
Prospect
Waldo

Townships

Big Island
Bowling Green
Claridon
Grand
Grand Prairie
Green Camp
Marion
Montgomery
Pleasant
Prospect
Richland
Salt Rock
Scott
Tully
Waldo

Unincorporated communities

Bellaire Gardens
Big Island
Brush Ridge
Centerville
Claridon
DeCliff
Espyville
Gast Corner
Kirkpatrick
Martel
Meeker
Owens
Tobias

References

External links

Marion County Government website