Guernsey County, Ohio

History

Guernsey County, located in the Appalachian foothills, was first formed and organized on March 10, 1810, from portions of Muskingum and Belmont counties, after the Ohio Legislature acted. The first county commissioners were sworn in on April 23, 1810. It lost some land area during the formation of neighboring counties until it reached its present boundaries in 1851, after Buffalo, Beaver, Olive, and Seneca townships were gained by Noble County. After dispute whether the county seat should be established in Cambridge or Washington, it was established in Cambridge after two individuals proposed to donate the land and furnish the public buildings if built in Cambridge.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 528 sqmi, of which 522 sqmi is land and 6.0 sqmi (1.1%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Tuscarawas County (north)
• Coshocton County (northwest)
• Harrison County (northeast)
• Noble County (south)
• Muskingum County (west)
• Belmont County (east)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 38,438. The median age was 43.2 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian,

37.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 16,100 households in the county, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.8% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 19,009 housing units, of which 15.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.6% were owner-occupied and 29.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.3%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 40,087 people, 16,210 households, and 10,949 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213011810/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39059 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213190002/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39059 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213010859/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39059 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 16,210 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 40.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,573 and the median income for a family was $48,445. Males had a median income of $37,642 versus $29,348 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,187. About 13.6% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213030213/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39059 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 40,792 people, 16,094 households, and 11,233 families living in the county. The population density was 78 PD/sqmi. There were 18,771 housing units at an average density of 36 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.28% White, 1.53% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.7% spoke English, 1.3% Spanish and 1.1% German as their first language.

There were 16,094 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% 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 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,110, and the median income for a family was $35,660. Males had a median income of $30,142 versus $20,804 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,542. About 12.90% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.50% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Guernsey County has been dominated by Republican Party candidates in presidential elections, with Democrats only winning the county in six presidential elections from 1856 on. The most recent of these Democrats to win the county was Bill Clinton in 1996. |}

Communities

City

• Cambridge (county seat)

Villages

• Byesville
• Cumberland
• Fairview
• Lore City
• Old Washington
• Pleasant City
• Quaker City
• Senecaville

Townships

• Adams
• Cambridge
• Center
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Knox
• Liberty
• Londonderry
• Madison
• Millwood
• Monroe
• Oxford
• Richland
• Spencer
• Valley
• Washington
• Westland
• Wheeling
• Wills

Census-designated places

• Buffalo
• Kimbolton
• Salesville

Unincorporated communities

• Antrim
• Birmingham
• Claysville
• Derwent
• Elizabethtown
• Guernsey
• Kings Mine
• Kipling
• Opperman
• Walhonding

References

References

1. "Ohio County Profiles: Guernsey County". Ohio Department of Development.
2. "Guernsey County, Ohio".
3. [https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 census]
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
6. Williams, T. F.. (1990). "The household guide and instructor, with biographies: history of Guernsey County, Ohio". Windmill Publications, Inc.; Whipporwill Publications.
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
10. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
11. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Ohio- Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980 AND Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980".
16. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Ohio: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
17. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Guernsey County, Ohio".
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Guernsey County, Ohio".
19. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Guernsey County, Ohio".
20. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
21. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
22. not an option in the 1980 Census
23. not an option in the 1990 Census
24. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
25. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
26. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".
27. (July 15, 2016). "TOWNSHIP WEBSITES - Ohio Township Association".