Hardin County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,696.2020 census Its county seat and largest city is Kenton. The county was created in 1820 and later organized in 1833. It is named for John Hardin, an officer in the American Revolution.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.

Adjacent counties Hancock County (north) Wyandot County (northeast) Marion County (east) Union County (southeast) Logan County (south) Auglaize County (southwest) Allen County (northwest)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 30,696. The median age was 37.2 years, with 23.0% of residents under the age of 18 and 17.2% aged 65 years or older. For every 100 females there were 99.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.6 males age 18 and over.

As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the county was 93.3% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.0% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.3% of the population.

As of the 2020 census, 43.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 56.4% lived in rural areas.

As of the 2020 census, there were 11,638 households in the county, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.3% were married-couple households, 19.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,883 housing units, of which 9.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.3% were owner-occupied and 28.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Hardin County, Ohio – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)32,26830,55531,00930,77428,38998.62%98.21%97.07%95.99%92.48%Black or African American alone (NH)2042322202552560.62%0.75%0.69%0.80%0.83%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)25577444480.08%0.18%0.23%0.14%0.16%Asian alone (NH)601121381801690.18%0.36%0.43%0.56%0.55%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census138xx0.00%0.01%0.03%Other race alone (NH)32101219690.10%0.03%0.04%0.06%0.22%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2433761,060xx0.76%1.17%3.45%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1301452484076970.40%0.47%0.78%1.27%2.27%Total32,71931,11131,94532,05830,696 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census As of the 2010 United States census, there were 32,058 people, 11,762 households, and 7,950 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 13,100 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.7% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 33.0% were German, 15.1% were Irish, 13.2% were American, and 9.6% were English.

Of the 11,762 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.4% were non-families, and 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 34.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,343 and the median income for a family was $55,274. Males had a median income of $41,191 versus $32,313 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,100. About 9.6% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census At the 2000 census, there were 31,945 people, 11,963 households and 8,134 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 12,907 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.54% White, 0.70% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.9% spoke English and 1.4% German as their first language.

There were 11,963 households, of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

24.30% of the population were under the age of 18, 15.40% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median household income was $34,440 and the median family income was $42,395. Males had a median income of $33,393 compared with $21,695 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,200. About 8.90% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over. Politics Hardin County is a Republican Party stronghold. The last Democrat to win the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1964 landslide. The county is currently represented by Robert McColley in the Ohio Senate, and Ty Mathews in the Ohio House of Representatives. Federally, the county is drawn into Ohio's 4th Congressional District, represented by Jim Jordan.

Media Two newspapers, the daily The Kenton Times of Kenton and the weekly The Ada Herald of Ada, operate in Hardin County.

Radio stations include WKTN of Kenton and WOHA of Ada, a radio station owned by Holy Family Communications.

WOCB-LP TV48 is a local Christian television station in downtown Kenton covering channels 39.1-39.4.

Transportation Airports Ada Airport is a privately owned, public-use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northwest of the central business district of Ada, a village in Hardin County.

Hardin County Airport is the largest paved facility and is located 3 miles south of Kenton, Ohio on CR 135. The runway is 4,803 feet long at an elevation of 1,030 feet. Maintenance, fuel and storage are available.

Major highways

Communities

City Kenton (county seat)

Villages

Ada Alger Dunkirk Forest McGuffey Mount Victory Patterson Ridgeway

Townships

Blanchard Buck Cessna Dudley Goshen Hale Jackson Liberty Lynn Marion McDonald Pleasant Roundhead Taylor Creek Washington

Census-designated place Dola

Unincorporated communities

Blanchard Foraker Grant Grassy Point Hepburn Holden Huntersville Jumbo Jump Maysville Mentzer Pfeiffer Roundhead Silver Creek Yelverton

Notable people Nehemiah Green, fourth governor of Kansas From Kenton

James S. Robinson, Civil War General and Secretary of State for Ohio John R. Goodin, Democratic congressman from Kansas William Lawrence, Republican congressman involved with the attempt to impeach Andrew Johnson Jacob Parrott, first recipient of the Medal of Honor Paul Robinson, creator of the long-running Etta Kett comic strip for King Features Syndicate From Ada Rollo May, an American existential psychologist Lee Tressel, football coach, father of former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel John Berton, award-winning computer graphics animator and visual effects supervisor. Carey Orr, cartoonist. From Alger Ray Brown — Homestead Grays pitcher From Dunkirk Willard Rhodes, ethnomusicologist (1901–1992) Dean Pees, NFL coach

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Ohio

References

External links

Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance Hardin County GIS webpage