Mahoning Valley

Steel industry

Although steel has been produced in the Mahoning Valley since the mid-1800s, after the Civil War, the valley was primarily known for its iron production. Conversion to steel manufacturing began during the economic depression of the 1890s. The Mahoning Valley is suitable for steel manufacture because of "its proximity to the Lake Erie ports that receive iron ore…the coal fields of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia; and to limestone deposits." The "25-mile stretch of steel mills and related industries" along the Mahoning River is similar to the Ruhr Valley in Germany." Historically, it was part of the largest steel producing region in the world, leading to the historical "Steel Valley" moniker that the area shared with the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

The local steel industry declined during the 1970s steel crisis. A notable plant closure occurred on September 19, 1977, when Youngstown Sheet and Tube abruptly closed its Campbell Works and furloughed 5,000 workers. Today the area produces little steel, and is home to many scrap metal yards and aluminum plants. A 2009 documentary, Steel Valley: Meltdown, addresses "the past, present and future of the Mahoning Valley" through the eyes of local experts, including one local organizer who stated, "We are the first generation completely removed from the days when steel mills were active."

The Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation, founded in 1979, is active in economic revitalization and diversification. It owns two industrial parks, and has purchased local rail lines, including the Youngstown and Austintown Railroad and the Warren and Trumbull Railroad.

Municipalities

Largest municipalities

Cities and villages

Mahoning County

• Alliance (partly in Stark County)
• Austintown
• Beloit
• Berlin Center
• Boardman
• Campbell
• Canfield
• Craig Beach
• Lowellville
• Maple Ridge
• Mineral Ridge
• New Middletown
• Poland
• Sebring
• Struthers
• Youngstown Trumbull County
• Cortland
• Girard
• Hubbard
• Newton Falls
• Niles
• Warren
• Lordstown
• McDonald
• Orangeville
• West Farmington
• Yankee Lake Columbiana County (CSA)
• Columbiana
• East Liverpool
• East Palestine
• Hanoverton
• Leetonia
• Lisbon
• Minerva (primarily in Stark and Carroll Counties)
• New Waterford
• Rogers
• Salem
• Salineville
• Summitville
• Washingtonville
• Wellsville

Townships

Mahoning County

• Austintown
• Beaver
• Berlin
• Boardman
• Canfield
• Coitsville
• Ellsworth
• Goshen
• Green
• Jackson
• Milton
• Poland
• Smith
• Springfield Trumbull County
• Bazetta
• Bloomfield
• Braceville
• Bristol
• Brookfield
• Champion
• Farmington
• Fowler
• Greene
• Gustavus
• Hartford
• Howland
• Hubbard
• Johnston
• Kinsman
• Liberty
• Mecca
• Mesopotamia
• Newton
• Southington
• Vernon
• Vienna
• Warren
• Weathersfield Columbiana County (CSA)
• Butler
• Center
• Elkrun
• Fairfield
• Franklin
• Hanover
• Knox
• Liverpool
• Madison
• Middleton
• Perry
• Salem
• St. Clair
• Unity
• Washington
• Wayne
• West
• Yellow Creek

Demographics

|align-fn=center As of the census of 2000, there were 602,978 people, 238,319 households, and 162,896 families residing within the MSA, which included Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The racial makeup of the MSA was 86.88% White, 10.78% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $36,071, and the median income for a family was $44,055. Males had a median income of $35,626 versus $23,186 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $18,547.

In July 2023, Mercer County, Pennsylvania was removed from the Youngstown–Warren MSA, renamed the Hermitage, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area and attached to the Pittsburgh-Weirton-Steubenville, PA-OH-WV CSA.

Transportation

Airports

The Youngstown–Warren area is served by one regional airport:

• Youngstown–Warren Regional Airport

The area is also served by several county and local airports, including:

• Columbiana County Airport
• Koons Airport
• Lansdowne Airport
• Miller Airport
• Salem Airpark
• Warren Airport
• Youngstown Elser Metro Airport
• Youngstown Air Reserve Station

Major highways

• [[File:I-76.svg|25px]] Interstate 76
• [[File:I-80.svg|25px]] Interstate 80
• [[File:I-680.svg|25px]] Interstate 680
• [[File:OhioTurnpike.svg|25px]] Ohio Turnpike
• [[File:US 30.svg|25px]] U.S. Route 30
• [[File:US 62.svg|25px]] U.S. Route 62
• [[File:US 224.svg|25px]] U.S. Route 224
• [[File:US 422.svg|25px]] U.S. Route 422

Youngstown is directly served by I-680, which connects the city with Interstate 80, Interstate 76 (the Ohio Turnpike), and State Route 11. I-680 begins at a junction with I-80 and SR 11, the start of the latter two routes' concurrency, in Austintown Township. Traveling southeast, I-680 passes through Youngstown, exiting southward from the city. After running through south suburban communities, it reaches its terminus at the Ohio Turnpike (I-76) in Beaver Township. The SR 711 freeway begins at a junction with I-680 in Youngstown and runs northeast and north out of the city and Mahoning County before terminating at a junction with I-80 and SR 11, the end of the latter two routes' concurrency, in Liberty Township. In addition to non-freeway sections of US 62, US 422, SR 7 and SR 193, state routes SR 170, SR 289, SR 616 and SR 625 serve the city.

The Ohio Turnpike passes to the west and south of Youngstown. Coming from the Cleveland area to the northwest, the turnpike carries Interstate 80 (I-80). In Jackson Township, Mahoning County, approximately 10 mi west of Downtown Youngstown, the turnpike has a junction with I-76 (coming from Akron to the west) and the two interstates swap rights-of-way; the turnpike continues to the southeast as I-76, on its way toward Pittsburgh. I-80 continues east, passing north of Youngstown, then crosses the Pennsylvania state line. Just 4 mi into Pennsylvania, I-80 has a junction with Interstate 376, providing another connection to Pittsburgh.

Ohio State Route 11 (SR 11), a north–south freeway, runs to the west of Youngstown, joins a concurrency with I-80, traveling near the northwest of the city, then leaves the concurrency heading north; at some points SR 11 is no more than 2+1/2 mi from the city limits. The route runs south to East Liverpool on the Ohio River; running north, it passes close to Niles and Warren before reaching I-90 in northeast Ohio, finally terminating in Ashtabula at Lake Erie.

Public transit

The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) operates a metropolitan public busing system in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. In Columbiana County, the Community Action Rural Transit System (CARTS) operates a rural public busing system.

Colleges and universities

The Mahoning Valley is home to a number of higher education facilities, including:

• Butler County Community College (Hermitage, Pennsylvania)
• Eastern Gateway Community College (Youngstown)
• Grove City College (Grove City, Pennsylvania)
• Kent State University at East Liverpool (East Liverpool)
• Kent State University at Salem (Salem)
• Kent State University at Trumbull (Warren)
• New Castle School of Trades (East Liverpool)
• Pennsylvania State University Shenango (Sharon, Pennsylvania)
• Thiel College (Greenville, Pennsylvania)
• Youngstown State University (Youngstown)

Sports

NCAA Division I sports are played in the region, with Youngstown State University fielding eight men's and ten women's teams.

Media

Main article: Media in Youngstown, Ohio

Print

The area is served mainly by zoned editions of The Vindicator out of Youngstown and the Tribune Chronicle in Warren. They are published together in broadsheet at the Tribune Chronicle in Warren. The two newspapers, along with the, Lisbon-based Morning Journal, were independent until in June 2019 it was announced that The Vindicator would cease publication by mid-August of the same year. Although this newspaper carries the name of the old Vindicator, its scope is comparatively limited, with the majority of previous Vindicator journalists not being carried over to the new edition.

Other newspapers that print in Youngstown include bi-monthly The Business Journal, The Metro Monthly, and the bi-weekly The Jambar, published by the students of Youngstown State University on Tuesdays and Thursdays while classes are in session.

TV

Mahoning Valley is part of the Youngstown media market, which includes Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana counties in Ohio and Mercer County in Pennsylvania. As of 2024–25, with 263,000 television households, the Youngstown market is the nation's 118th largest, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The market is served is served by four full power television stations. including WFMJ-TV (channel 21, NBC, with The CW channel 21.2 under the WBCB call letters), WKBN-TV (channel 27, CBS), WYTV (channel 33, ABC, with MNTV on 33.2), and WNEO channel 45 (PBS).

Low power station WYFX-LD channel 62 serves as Youngstown's Fox affiliate, and is simulcast on WKBN 27.2.

Radio

The following stations are part of the Youngstown media market:

AM

• 570 WKBN Youngstown (News/talk)
• 600 WRQX Salem (Conservative talk)
• 790 WPIC Sharon, PA (Talk radio)
• 830 WKTX Cortland (Urban contemporary gospel)
• 940 WGRP Greenville, PA (Hot adult contemporary)
• 1200 WKST New Castle, PA (Classic hits)
• 1240 WBBW Youngstown (Sports - Infinity)
• 1280 WUZZ New Castle, PA (Classic country - WYLE simulcast)
• 1330 WGFT Campbell (Urban contemporary)
• 1390 WNIO Youngstown (Sports)
• 1440 WHKZ Warren (Catholic - Relevant Radio)
• 1470 WLOA Farrell, PA (Hip-hop)
• 1540 WYOH Niles (Talk)
• 1570 WHTX Warren (Talk)

FM

• 88.1 WSRU Slippery Rock, PA (College variety - Slippery Rock University)
• 88.5 WYSU Youngstown (NPR)
• 88.9 WWNW New Wilmington, PA (Adult contemporary - Westminster College)
• 89.5 WILB Boardman (Catholic)
• 90.1 WVMN New Castle, PA (Religious)
• 90.7 WKTL Struthers (Adult album alternative - WAPS semi-satellite)
• 91.7 WYTN Youngstown (Christian - Family Radio)
• 92.1 WKPL Ellwood City, PA (Classic hits)
• 93.3 WNCD Youngstown (Classic rock)
• 95.1 WYLE Grove City, PA (Classic country)
• 95.9 WAKZ Sharpsville, PA (Mainstream urban)
• 96.7 WLLF Mercer, PA (Sports)
• 98.9 WMXY Youngstown (Adult contemporary)
• 101.1 WHOT Youngstown (Contemporary hit radio)
• 101.9 WYLR Hubbard (Contemporary Christian - K-Love)
• 102.9 WYFM Sharon, PA (Classic rock)
• 103.9 WWIZ West Middlesex, PA (Oldies)
• 105.1 WQXK Salem (Country)
• 106.1 WBBG Niles (Country)
• 107.1 WLVX Greenville, PA (Christian adult contemporary - K-Love)

References

References

1. (August 12, 2021). "2020 Population and Housing State Data". [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division.
2. United States Census Bureau. (December 29, 2022). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications".
3. "Total Gross Domestic Product for Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA (MSA)". [[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]].
4. (July 21, 2023). "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas".
5. (2010-03-23). "Table 2. Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009 (CBSA-EST2009-02)". [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division.
6. "Ohio: Rise and Fall of the Steel Industry in the Mahoning Valley". (Local Legacies: Celebrating Community Roots – Library of Congress).
7. "Mahoning Valley". Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.
8. (2008). "The incredible shrinking city". CNNMoney.com.
9. Linkon, Sherry Lee. (2002). "Steeltown U.S.A: work and memory in Youngstown". University Press of Kansas.
10. Libecco, Katie. (2009-09-19). "Local documentary gathers expert insight". Valley24.com.
11. "Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation – Revitalizing the Mahoning Valley".
12. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Struthers city, Ohio; Hermitage city, Pennsylvania; Sharon city, Pennsylvania; Niles city, Ohio; Warren city, Ohio; Youngstown city, Ohio".
13. (8 February 2006). "Decennials - Census of Population and Housing".
14. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015".
15. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing".
16. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
17. Mitchell, J. Breen. (June 28, 2019). "Vindicator announces it will stop production". WFMJ-TV.
18. "Tribune Chronicle acquires rights to Vindicator name {{!}} News, Sports, Jobs - Tribune Chronicle".
19. "So Youngstown will have a daily named The Vindicator after all. But it's a brand surviving, not a newspaper.".
20. (September 28, 2024). "2024-2025 Nielsen DMA Ranking". [[Nielsen Media Research]].
21. "Ohio TV Information". Radio Station World.