Pike County, Ohio

History

Pike County was organized on February 1, 1815, from portions of Scioto, Ross, and Adams Counties, and was named in honor of Zebulon Pike, the explorer and soldier who had recently been killed in the War of 1812.

Pike County was the site of the Pike County Massacre where eight members of the Rhoden family were shot and killed the evening of April 21–22, 2016.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 sqmi, of which 440 sqmi is land and 3.7 sqmi (0.8%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Ross County (north)
• Jackson County (east)
• Scioto County (south)
• Adams County (southwest)
• Highland County (west)

Demographics

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

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 27,088. The median age was 41.2 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.

18.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 81.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,656 households in the county, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.6% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,979 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 65.9% were owner-occupied and 34.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 28,709 people, 11,012 households, and 7,743 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213034823/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39131 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192826/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39131 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032905/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39131 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 11,012 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 39.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,912 and the median income for a family was $43,010. Males had a median income of $40,645 versus $27,422 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,494. About 18.0% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.7% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213031436/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39131 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 27,695 people, 10,444 households, and 7,665 families living in the county. The population density was 63 /mi2. There were 11,602 housing units at an average density of 26 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.72% White, 0.89% Black or African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,444 households, out of which 35.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.60% were non-families. 22.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.20% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,649, and the median income for a family was $35,934. Males had a median income of $32,379 versus $20,761 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,093. About 15.10% of families and 18.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 13.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library serves area communities from its main branch in Waverly, Ohio and from its branches in Beaver, Piketon, and Western Pike County.

In 2005, the library loaned more than 238,000 items to its 20,000 cardholders. Total holding are over 91,000 volumes with over 210 periodical subscriptions.

File:PikeCtyOHLibrary1.JPG|Waverly Library File:PikeCtyOHLibrary2.JPG|Beaver Library File:PikeCtyOHLibrary3.JPG|Piketon Library File:PikeCtyOHLibrary4.JPG|Western Pike Library

Pike County has adopted a county flag with an unusual shape, rounded at the fly end. It bears fourteen stars, representing the county's townships, and various industry symbols within a circular emblem, all upon a green field. The flag is through and through except for the emblem.

Politics

Pike County used to be very strongly Democratic in presidential elections, being the only county in the state to vote for Adlai Stevenson in 1956. Bill Clinton in 1996 was the last Democrat to win the county; afterwards, Barack Obama lost the county by only one vote in 2012, the closest a Democrat came to winning the county since 1996. In 2016, the county took a sharp turn to the right as Republican Donald Trump won over 65% of the vote in the county; he went on to win over 70% of the vote in both 2020 and 2024. Overall, Pike County shifted to the right from 2012 to 2024 by 54 percentage points, representing one of the strongest such rightward shifts for any county in the country. |}

Communities

City

• Waverly (county seat)

Villages

• Beaver
• Piketon

Townships

• Beaver
• Benton
• Camp Creek
• Jackson
• Marion
• Mifflin
• Newton
• Pebble
• Pee Pee
• Perry
• Scioto
• Seal
• Sunfish
• Union

Census-designated places

• Cynthiana
• Stockdale

Unincorporated communities

• Arkoe
• Buchanan
• Byington (Mifflin Township seat)
• Camp
• Daleyville
• Idaho
• Jasper
• Latham
• Morgantown
• Omega
• Sargents
• Wakefield

References

References

1. "Ohio County Profiles: Pike County". Ohio Department of Development.
2. [https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 census]
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. (June 2016). "Pike County data". [[Ohio State University]] Extension Data Center }}{{dead link.
5. "Pike County Massacre".
6. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
13. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
14. "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".
15. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Ohio: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
16. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Pike County, Ohio".
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pike County, Ohio".
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pike County, Ohio".
19. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
20. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
21. not an option in the 1980 Census
22. not an option in the 1990 Census
23. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
24. "2005 Ohio Public Library Statistics:Statistics by County and Town". State Library of Ohio.
25. "Pike". [[Ohio Statehouse]] Museum.
26. Stanley, Stephanie. (November 9, 2015). "PCPADV hosts discussion about teen dating violence". [[The Pike County News Watchman]].
27. Goldmacher, Shane. (May 25, 2025). "How Donald Trump Has Remade America's Political Landscape". The New York Times.
28. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
29. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".
30. "TOWNSHIP WEBSITES | Ohio Township Association".