Franklin County, Ohio

Franklin County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2019 census estimates, the population was 1,316,756,[2] making it the most populous county in Ohio. Most of its land area is taken up by its county seat, Columbus,[3] the state capital and most populous city in Ohio. The county was established on April 30, 1803, less than two months after Ohio became a state, and was named after Benjamin Franklin.[4] Franklin County originally extended north to Lake Erie before being subdivided into smaller counties.

Not to be confused with Franklin, Ohio.
Franklin County
County
Coat of arms
Etymology: Benjamin Franklin
Interactive map of Franklin County
Coordinates: 39°58′N 83°00′W
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
RegionCentral Ohio
FoundedApril 30, 1803[1]
County seatColumbus
Area
 • Total544 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Land532 sq mi (1,380 km2)
 • Water11 sq mi (30 km2)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total1,316,756
 • Density2,400/sq mi (930/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (North American EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts3rd, 12th, 15th
Websitewww.co.franklin.oh.us

Franklin County is included in the Columbus, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, in Central Ohio.

Franklin County, particularly Columbus, has been a centerpiece for presidential and congressional politics, most notably the 2000 presidential election, the 2004 presidential election, and the 2006 midterm elections. Franklin County is home to one of the largest universities in the United States, the Ohio State University, which has about 60,000 students on its main Columbus campus.[5]

History
See also: History of Columbus, Ohio

On March 30, 1803, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Franklin County. The county originally was part of Ross County. Residents named the county in honor of Benjamin Franklin.[6] In 1816, Franklin County's Columbus became Ohio's state capital. Surveyors laid out the city in 1812, and officials incorporated it in 1816. Columbus was not Ohio's original capital, but the state legislature chose to move the state government there after its location for a short time at Chillicothe and at Zanesville. Columbus was chosen as the site for the new capital because of its central location within the state and access by way of major transportation routes (primarily rivers) at that time. The legislature chose it as Ohio's capital over a number of other competitors, including Franklinton, Dublin, Worthington, and Delaware.

On May 5, 1802 a group of prospective settlers founded the Scioto Company at the home of Rev. Eber B. Clark in Granby, Connecticut for the purpose of forming a settlement between the Muskingum River and Great Miami River in the Ohio Country. James Kilbourne was elected president and Josiah Topping secretary.[7] On August 30, 1802 James Kilbourne and Nathaniel Little arrived at Colonel Thomas Worthington's home in Chillicothe, Ohio. They tentatively reserved land along the Scioto River on the Pickaway Plains for their new settlement.[8]

On October 5, 1802, the Scioto Company met in Granby, Connecticut and decided not to purchase the lands along the Scioto River on the Pickaway Plains, but rather to buy land 30 miles (48 km) farther north from Dr. Jonas Stanbery and his partner, an American Revolutionary War general, Jonathan Dayton. Sixteen thousand acres (65 km2; 6,500 ha) were purchased along the Whetstone River (now known as the Olentangy River) at $1.50 per acre.[9] This land was part of the United States Military District surveyed by Israel Ludlow in 1797 and divided into townships 5 miles (8.0 km) square.[10]

Before the state legislature's decision in 1812, Columbus did not exist. The city was designed from the first as the state's capital, preparing itself for its role in Ohio's political, economic, and social life. In the years between first ground-breaking and the actual movement of the capital in 1816, Columbus and Franklin County grew significantly. By 1813, workers had built a penitentiary, and by the following year, residents had established the first church, school, and newspaper in Columbus. Workers completed the Ohio Statehouse in 1861. Columbus and Franklin County grew quickly in population, with the city having 700 people by 1815. Columbus officially became the county seat in 1824. By 1834, the population of Columbus was 4,000 people, officially elevating it to "city" status.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 544 square miles (1,410 km2), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (2.1%) is water.[11] The county is located in the Till Plains and the Appalachian Plateau land regions.

The county is drained by the Olentangy River and the Scioto River. Major creeks in the county include Big Darby Creek, Big Walnut Creek, and Alum Creek. There are two large reservoirs in the county, Hoover Reservoir and Griggs Reservoir.[12]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18103,486—
182010,292195.2%
183014,74143.2%
184025,04969.9%
185042,90971.3%
186050,36117.4%
187063,01925.1%
188086,79737.7%
1890124,08743.0%
1900164,46032.5%
1910221,56734.7%
1920283,95128.2%
1930361,05527.2%
1940388,7127.7%
1950503,41029.5%
1960682,96235.7%
1970833,24922.0%
1980869,1324.3%
1990961,43710.6%
20001,068,97811.2%
20101,163,4148.8%
2019 (est.)1,316,756[13]13.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2019[18]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,163,414 people, 477,235 households, and 278,030 families living in the county.[19] The population density was 2,186.1 inhabitants per square mile (844.1/km2). There were 527,186 housing units at an average density of 990.6 per square mile (382.5/km2).[20] The racial makeup of the county was 69.2% white, 21.2% black or African American, 3.9% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.3% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.8% of the population.[19] In terms of ancestry, 24.2% were German, 14.4% were Irish, 9.1% were English, 5.5% were Italian, and 5.0% were American.[21]

Of the 477,235 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.7% were non-families, and 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 33.4 years.[19]

The median income for a household in the county was $49,087 and the median income for a family was $62,372. Males had a median income of $45,920 versus $37,685 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,909. About 12.1% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.[22]

Politics

For most of the 20th century, Franklin County was a Republican bastion, as has long been the case with most of central Ohio. From 1896 to 1992, it went Republican all but five times. However, it has gone Democratic in every election since 1996, reflecting the Democratic trend in most other urban counties nationwide. Columbus and most of its northern and western suburbs lean Democratic, while the more blue-collar southern section of the county leans Republican.

In Congress, it is split between three districts. Most of Columbus itself is in the 3rd district, represented by Democrat Joyce Beatty. Most of the northern and eastern portions of the county are in the 12th district, represented by Republican Troy Balderson. The southern portion is in the 15th district, represented by Republican Steve Stivers.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[23][24]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 33.4% 211,237 64.7% 409,144 1.9% 12,151
2016 33.9% 199,331 59.8% 351,198 6.3% 36,995
2012 37.8% 215,997 60.5% 346,373 1.7% 9,818
2008 38.9% 218,486 59.6% 334,709 1.5% 8,568
2004 45.1% 237,253 54.4% 285,801 0.5% 2,773
2000 47.8% 197,862 48.8% 202,018 3.4% 14,194
1996 44.6% 178,412 48.1% 192,795 7.3% 29,308
1992 41.9% 186,324 39.7% 176,656 18.4% 81,821
1988 60.0% 226,265 39.1% 147,585 0.9% 3,507
1984 64.1% 250,360 33.7% 131,530 2.2% 8,584
1980 53.9% 200,948 38.6% 143,932 7.6% 28,165
1976 55.7% 189,645 41.6% 141,624 2.8% 9,443
1972 63.7% 219,771 34.1% 117,562 2.2% 7,475
1968 51.8% 148,933 35.2% 101,240 13.0% 37,451
1964 46.0% 131,345 54.1% 154,527
1960 59.4% 161,178 40.6% 110,283
1956 65.8% 151,544 34.2% 78,852
1952 60.3% 138,894 39.8% 91,620
1948 53.4% 98,707 45.8% 84,806 0.8% 1,486
1944 52.6% 99,292 47.4% 89,394
1940 48.9% 92,533 51.1% 96,601
1936 40.4% 63,830 57.4% 90,746 2.2% 3,471
1932 52.2% 67,957 45.0% 58,539 2.8% 3,664
1928 65.9% 92,019 33.7% 47,084 0.4% 609
1924 57.7% 61,891 24.7% 26,505 17.6% 18,899
1920 54.2% 59,691 44.0% 48,452 1.8% 1,921
1916 40.4% 24,107 57.1% 34,103 2.5% 1,517
1912 25.2% 12,791 40.8% 20,697 34.0% 17,227
1908 53.5% 28,914 43.1% 23,314 3.5% 1,869
1904 61.5% 27,439 34.7% 15,502 3.8% 1,681
1900 52.2% 22,237 46.5% 19,809 1.3% 550
1896 52.0% 20,291 46.9% 18,320 1.1% 442
1892 46.5% 14,341 50.3% 15,495 3.2% 999
1888 47.6% 13,453 50.0% 14,126 2.5% 692
1884 47.7% 11,194 50.4% 11,842 1.9% 441
1880 48.3% 9,438 50.5% 9,863 1.2% 240
1876 44.4% 7,557 55.1% 9,383 0.6% 97
1872 43.9% 5,796 55.7% 7,345 0.4% 56
1868 41.6% 5,079 58.4% 7,119
1864 45.7% 4,819 54.3% 5,719
1860 46.0% 4,295 51.9% 4,846 2.1% 197
1856 44.4% 3,488 48.3% 3,791 7.3% 574

Government
See also: Franklin County Government Center and Ohio county government

Current officials
  • Board of Commissioners:
    • President: Kevin Boyce (D)
    • Marilyn Brown (D)
    • John O'Grady (D)
  • County Auditor: Michael Stinziano (D)
  • Clerk of Courts: Maryellen O'Shaughnessy (D)
  • County Coroner: Dr. Anahi Ortiz (D)
  • County Engineer: Cornell Robertson (R)
  • County Prosecutor: Gary Tyack (D)
  • County Recorder: Danny O'Connor (D)
  • Sheriff: Dallas Baldwin (D)
  • County Treasurer: Cheryl Brooks Sullivan (D)

Communities
Map of Franklin County with municipal and township labels

Franklin County is currently made up of 16 cities, 10 villages, and 17 townships.

Cities

Villages

Townships

https://web.archive.org/web/20160715023447/http://www.ohiotownships.org/township-websites

Defunct Townships
  • Marion (completely annexed by the city of Columbus)

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

Footnotes
  1. "Ohio County Profiles: Franklin County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  2. "American Factfinder". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. "Franklin County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  5. "Statistical Summary". osu.edu. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 131.
  7. McCormick 1998:7
  8. McCormick 1998:17
  9. McCormick 1998:19-27
  10. "A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875". memory.loc.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  11. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  12. Query of Geographic Names Information System
  13. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  14. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  15. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  16. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  17. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  18. "Franklin County now most populous in Ohio". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  19. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  20. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  21. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  22. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  23. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  24. "Ohio Historical Election Results". Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  25. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Further reading
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