Portage County, Ohio

Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 161,419.[1] Its county seat is Ravenna.[2] The county was created in 1807 and organized in 1808[3] and is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers.[4]

Portage County
U.S. county
Portage County Courthouse
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°10′N 81°12′W
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedJune 7, 1808
Named forthe portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers
SeatRavenna
Largest cityKent
Area
 • Total504 sq mi (1,310 km2)
 • Land487 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Water17 sq mi (40 km2)  3.3%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
162,466
 • Density331/sq mi (128/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts13th, 14th, 16th
Websitewww.co.portage.oh.us

Portage County is part of the Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area.

History

The name "Portage" comes from an old Native American path called "Portage Path", which ran between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers, where travelers portaged their canoes. The location of the trail today is within the boundaries of neighboring Summit County.[5][6]

After the discovery of the New World, the land that became Portage County was originally part of the French colony of Canada (New France), which was ceded in 1763 to Great Britain and renamed the Province of Quebec. In the late 18th century the land became part of the Connecticut Western Reserve in the Northwest Territory, then was purchased by the Connecticut Land Company in 1795.

The first European settler in what is now Portage County was Abraham Honey in 1798 in the area now known as Mantua Township, followed by Asa Hall in what is now Atwater Township in April 1799. In June 1799, Benjamin Tappan, Jr. arrived and founded Ravenna, David Daniels came to what is now Palmyra Township, and Ebenezer Sheldon settled in what is now Aurora.[7] A family group of Huguenot refugees also eventually migrated to Portage County by 1804.[8]

1826 map of Portage County with 30 townships

When first settled, the area that presently constitutes Portage County was part of the original Jefferson County, which had been organized in 1797. In 1800, the area was made part of Trumbull County, which followed the boundaries of the Connecticut Western Reserve. In 1802, all of what is now Portage County was organized under the name of Franklin Township with other townships being formed later. On February 10, 1807 the Ohio state legislature passed the act to create Portage County from Trumbull County and it took effect June 7, 1807. Portage County remained attached to Trumbull County until June 8, 1808, when the first elections were held. Initially, the county included a large area of the Western Reserve that encompassed most of present-day Summit County, all of Medina and Huron counties, and parts of Lorain and Ashland counties. There were six organized townships in 1808: Franklin, Deerfield, Aurora, Hiram, Springfield, and Hudson with new townships organized later, reaching a maximum of 30. The present-day boundaries of Portage County were established in 1840 following the 1812 creation of Medina County, a slight boundary adjustment in 1827 with Cuyahoga County, and finally the creation of Summit County in 1840, which took 10 townships from Portage County along with 3 townships from Medina County and two from Stark County.[6]

Geography
Gazebo at Towner's Woods Park in Franklin Township, part of the county park system

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 504 square miles (1,310 km2), of which 487 square miles (1,260 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (3.3%) is water.[9]

West Branch State Park is a very large state park in central Portage County, consisting of a large green surrounding the Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir. There are a number of smaller state and local parks.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18102,995—
182010,095237.1%
183018,82686.5%
184022,96522.0%
185024,4196.3%
186024,208−0.9%
187024,5841.6%
188027,50011.9%
189027,8681.3%
190029,2464.9%
191030,3073.6%
192036,36920.0%
193042,68217.4%
194046,6609.3%
195063,98437.1%
196091,79843.5%
1970125,86837.1%
1980135,8567.9%
1990142,5855.0%
2000152,0616.6%
2010161,4196.2%
2019 (est.)162,466[10]0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2019[1]

2000 census

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 152,061 people, 56,449 households, and 39,175 families living in the county. The population density was 309 people per square mile (119/km2). There were 60,096 housing units at an average density of 122 per square mile (47/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.40% White, 3.18% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.5% were of German, 11.0% Irish, 9.9% Italian, 9.7% English, 9.7% American and 5.2% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.1% spoke English and 1.2% Spanish as their first language.

There were 56,449 households, out of which 32.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.70% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,347, and the median income for a family was $52,820. Males had a median income of $37,434 versus $26,232 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,428. About 5.90% of families and 9.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Using the Gini coefficient to measure household inequality, Portage County received a .43 in 2012.[16] In 2013 16.1% of the population, or 25,196 people, were poor or impoverished. The county saw an increase in its poor population, as this can be compared to a 9.3% poverty rate (13,395 people) in 1999.[17]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 161,419 people, 62,222 households, and 40,757 families living in the county.[18] The population density was 331.2 inhabitants per square mile (127.9/km2). There were 67,472 housing units at an average density of 138.4 per square mile (53.4/km2).[19] The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% white, 4.1% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population.[18] In terms of ancestry, 30.7% were German, 17.1% were Irish, 11.5% were English, 11.0% were Italian, 6.6% were Polish, and 5.7% were American.[20]

Of the 62,222 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 37.4 years.[18]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,447 and the median income for a family was $65,306. Males had a median income of $46,014 versus $34,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,097. About 8.1% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.[21]

Politics

Following a trend seen throughout large parts of Ohio, in 2016 Donald Trump won Portage County by 9.87 points, becoming the first Republican in almost three decades to win the county, the last time being George H. W. Bush in 1988.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[22][23]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 55.4% 45,990 43.0% 35,661 1.6% 1,371
2016 52.1% 39,971 42.2% 32,397 5.7% 4,394
2012 46.1% 35,242 51.7% 39,453 2.2% 1,689
2008 44.4% 34,822 53.4% 41,856 2.2% 1,724
2004 46.4% 35,583 53.1% 40,675 0.5% 389
2000 45.0% 28,271 50.0% 31,446 5.1% 3,182
1996 32.5% 18,939 50.6% 29,441 16.9% 9,858
1992 29.7% 18,447 42.4% 26,325 27.9% 17,363
1988 50.2% 26,334 48.8% 25,607 1.0% 539
1984 57.1% 29,536 42.0% 21,719 0.8% 432
1980 47.4% 22,829 42.7% 20,570 9.9% 4,791
1976 40.9% 17,927 55.7% 24,417 3.4% 1,480
1972 51.8% 23,294 46.2% 20,769 2.1% 939
1968 41.3% 15,064 44.8% 16,348 14.0% 5,093
1964 31.8% 10,842 68.3% 23,308
1960 51.5% 19,634 48.6% 18,528
1956 59.1% 18,943 40.9% 13,128
1952 55.9% 17,168 44.1% 13,553
1948 48.7% 11,621 50.2% 11,987 1.1% 268
1944 49.5% 12,284 50.5% 12,533
1940 48.1% 11,777 51.9% 12,687
1936 35.8% 8,035 61.4% 13,798 2.8% 630
1932 48.0% 9,586 48.4% 9,662 3.7% 733
1928 71.3% 12,086 28.1% 4,756 0.6% 106
1924 62.4% 8,583 21.8% 2,994 15.8% 2,172
1920 59.0% 8,231 38.7% 5,405 2.3% 317
1916 40.9% 3,142 55.6% 4,269 3.5% 272
1912 15.7% 1,162 38.7% 2,855 45.6% 3,370[lower-alpha 1]
1908 51.2% 4,129 44.9% 3,625 3.9% 317
1904 62.5% 4,712 33.0% 2,486 4.6% 343
1900 52.7% 4,311 44.6% 3,651 2.7% 222
1896 50.0% 4,073 49.1% 3,995 0.9% 76
1892 48.8% 3,310 43.6% 2,953 7.6% 515
1888 52.4% 3,880 44.0% 3,260 3.6% 270
1884 52.1% 3,931 43.4% 3,273 4.5% 339
1880 55.0% 3,990 43.4% 3,147 1.7% 122
1876 54.9% 3,712 44.5% 3,006 0.6% 41
1872 58.0% 3,478 40.7% 2,438 1.3% 77
1868 60.4% 3,604 39.6% 2,362
1864 64.4% 3,475 35.6% 1,921
1860 59.3% 3,065 38.1% 1,970 2.5% 130
1856 58.9% 2,983 40.9% 2,072 0.1% 6

Education

Portage County is home to eleven public school districts.[24]

District Location Communities served
Aurora City School District Aurora Aurora, small part of Reminderville
Crestwood Local School District Mantua Mantua, Mantua Township, Hiram, most of Hiram Township, most of Shalersville Township
James A Garfield Local School District Garrettsville Garrettsville, Nelson Township, Freedom Township, part of Hiram Township, small part of Charlestown Township
Field Local School District Brimfield Brimfield Township, most of Suffield Township, parts of Tallmadge and Kent which were annexed from Brimfield
Kent City School District Kent Brady Lake, most of Kent, Sugar Bush Knolls, most of Franklin Township, small portion of Streetsboro
Ravenna School District Ravenna Ravenna, most of Ravenna Township, small portion of Shalersville Township
Rootstown Local School District Rootstown Rootstown Township and small portion of Ravenna Township
Southeast Local School District Palmyra Edinburg Township, Palmyra Township, Paris Township, most of Charlestown Township, most of Deerfield Township
Streetsboro City School District Streetsboro most of Streetsboro
Waterloo Local School District Atwater Atwater Township, Randolph Township, small portion of Deerfield Township
Windham Exempted Village School District Windham Windham, Windham Township
Map of school districts in Portage County with township and municipal boundaries superimposed.

In addition, there are parts of five neighboring districts which serve portions of Portage County residents.[24]

District Location Communities served in Portage County
Lake Local School District Uniontown small part of Suffield Township
Mogadore Local School District Mogadore Mogadore, small part of Suffield Township
Springfield Local School District Springfield small part of Suffield Township
Stow-Munroe Falls City School District Stow small part of Franklin Township
West Branch Local School District Beloit small part of Deerfield Township

Portage County also has two schools that serve students from multiple districts:

Higher education

Portage County is home to three institutions of higher learning:

Culture

Theater

Museums
  • Kelso House Museum, Brimfield
  • Kent Historical Society Museum, Kent
  • Kent State University Museum, Kent
  • Kent State School of Art Galleries, Kent
  • Cowrie-Lowrie-Beatty Portage County Historical Society Museum, Ravenna

Media

Communities
Map of Portage County municipal and township labels

Portage County is arranged as a 4x5 grid of 20 rectangles: 18 unincorporated townships containing 9 cities and villages; and two incorporated townships which are fully occupied by one city each.

Under Ohio law, there are two types of incorporated municipal jurisdictions: cities and villages, and any territory within a county that is not part of an incorporated municipality (city or village), is part of a township. Townships have limited local government and services.

The Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center, formerly known as the Ravenna Training and Logistics Site and commonly known as the Ravenna Arsenal, occupies much of the land in Charlestown, Paris, and Windham Townships, as well as a small part of Freedom Township.

Cities

Villages

Townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

Notes
  1. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 2,583 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 681 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 101 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 5 votes.

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Ohio: Individual County Chronologies". Ohio Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  4. "Portage County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  5. Cherry, Peter Peterson (1911). The Portage Path. Akron, Ohio: The Western Reserve Company. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  6. Brown, R.C; Norris, J.E. (1972) [1885]. History of Portage County Ohio. Chicago, Illinois: Warner, Beers, and Company. pp. 192–196. Portage County received its name from the fact that the old Indian Portage Path, between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers, was, originally, within its limits, though now in Summit County.
  7. Brown and Norris, pp. 229–232
  8. Calvin, Claude (1945). The Calvin Families. University of Wisconsin. pp. 67–68.
  9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  10. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  13. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  16. "Portage County - Gini coefficient Portage County, Ohio". portage.oh.networkofcare.org. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  17. "The Ohio Poverty Report" (PDF). Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  18. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  19. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  20. "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.
  21. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 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. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
  23. "Ohio Historical Election Results". Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  24. Exner, Rich (2008). "Property Tax 2007". Cleveland.com Business. The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on 2008-10-04. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  25. Bio-Med Science Academy
  26. "About - NEOMED". Northeast Ohio Medical University. 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  27. https://theportager.com
  28. http://kentwired.com

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