Wayne County | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Wayne County Courthouse in September 2004 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOhio | |
 Ohio's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:40°50′N81°53′W / 40.83°N 81.89°W /40.83; -81.89 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Ohio |
| Founded | January 4, 1812 (date organized; formed 1808)[1] |
| Named after | GeneralAnthony Wayne |
| Seat | Wooster |
| Largest city | Wooster |
| Area | |
• Total | 557 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Land | 555 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 116,894 |
• Estimate (2024)[2] | 116,632 |
| • Density | 210/sq mi (80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Wayne County is acounty located in the northeastern quadrant of theU.S. state ofOhio. As of the2020 census, the population was 116,894.[3] Itscounty seat isWooster.[4] The county isnamed for General"Mad" Anthony Wayne.[5] Wayne County comprises theWooster, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Wayne County as it exists today was described in legislation in 1808 but was not formally organized until January 1812, with effect from March 1. An earlier Wayne County, created by the government of the Northwest Territory in 1796, included much of northern Ohio and all of the lower peninsula of Michigan. ThatWayne County is now part of Michigan.[6][7]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557 square miles (1,440 km2), of which 555 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 11,933 | — | |
| 1830 | 23,333 | 95.5% | |
| 1840 | 35,808 | 53.5% | |
| 1850 | 32,981 | −7.9% | |
| 1860 | 32,483 | −1.5% | |
| 1870 | 35,116 | 8.1% | |
| 1880 | 40,076 | 14.1% | |
| 1890 | 39,005 | −2.7% | |
| 1900 | 37,870 | −2.9% | |
| 1910 | 38,058 | 0.5% | |
| 1920 | 41,346 | 8.6% | |
| 1930 | 47,024 | 13.7% | |
| 1940 | 50,520 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 58,716 | 16.2% | |
| 1960 | 75,497 | 28.6% | |
| 1970 | 87,123 | 15.4% | |
| 1980 | 97,408 | 11.8% | |
| 1990 | 101,461 | 4.2% | |
| 2000 | 111,564 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 114,520 | 2.6% | |
| 2020 | 116,894 | 2.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 116,632 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2020[3] 2024[2] | |||
As of thecensus[13] of 2000, there were 111,564 people, 40,445 households, and 29,484 families living in the county. The population density was 201 inhabitants per square mile (78 inhabitants/km2). There were 42,324 housing units at an average density of 76 units per square mile (29/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.52%White, 1.57%Black orAfrican American, 0.16%Native American, 0.66%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.24% fromother races, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 31.7% were ofGerman, 13.9%American, 9.6%Irish, 9.0%English and 5.5%Swiss ancestry according toCensus 2000. 91.5% spokeEnglish, 3.2%German, 1.6%Dutch, 1.5%Pennsylvania Dutch and 1.2%Spanish as their first language.
There were 40,445 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% weremarried couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.40% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,538, and the median income for a family was $48,294. Males had a median income of $33,976 versus $23,203 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,330. About 5.40% of families and 8.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 10.60% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.
As of the2010 United States Census, there were 114,520 people, 42,638 households, and 30,070 families living in the county.[14] The population density was 206.4 inhabitants per square mile (79.7 inhabitants/km2). There were 45,847 housing units at an average density of 82.6 units per square mile (31.9 units/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% white, 1.5% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population.[14] In terms of ancestry, 34.1% wereGerman, 13.3% wereAmerican, 12.9% wereIrish, and 9.0% wereEnglish.[16]
Of the 42,638 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 38.3 years.[14]
The median income for a household in the county was $48,375 and the median income for a family was $59,692. Males had a median income of $42,082 versus $29,623 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,645. About 7.8% of families and 9.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.[17]
There were several large waves of migration into what it is today Wayne County, Ohio. The first wave was groups of families fromNew England, migrating westward into what was then theNorthwest Territory and then early statehood era Ohio between the 1790s and the 1820s. Most of the settlers who arrived in what would become Wayne County at that time were fromNew England. They were overwhelmingly Congregationalists, however, in the 1810s several arrived who had become Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians during theSecond Great Awakening. These groups were ofEnglish ancestry, being descended from theEnglishPuritans who arrived in colonialNew England during the 1620s and 1630s. The English-descended "Yankee" New Englanders established the county in 1812. The second large migration was German immigrants, the Germans settled in Wayne County in large numbers between the 1820s and the 1880s, forming a steady stream of migration into the county during that time. These immigrants were almost exclusivelyLutheran. Lastly in the early 1850s a large group ofIrish immigrants arrived in the county as part of a large wave of migration entering the United States at that time. This group was overwhelmingly Catholic. Many families currently in Wayne County go back to the early 19th century settlement of the county by New Englanders.[18] Today, many of these same people who cite that they are of "American" ancestry are actually of English descent, however, they have families that have been in the state so long, in many cases since the colonial period, that they choose to identify simply as having "American" ancestry or do not, in fact, know their own ancestry. Their ancestry primarily goes back to the originalThirteen Colonies and for this reason many of them today simply claim "American" ancestry, though they are of predominantly English ancestry.[19][20][21][22] There are also manyIrish-Americans in the county.German-Americans have formed the largest single group in Wayne County since the late 1800s.
Prior to 1912, Wayne County was a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections, only voting Republicans twice since 1856. It was a bellwether from 1912 to 1936, but starting with the 1940 election, the county has become a Republican stronghold withLyndon B. Johnson in 1964 being the last Democrat to win the county.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 36,764 | 69.17% | 15,898 | 29.91% | 488 | 0.92% |
| 2020 | 36,759 | 67.72% | 16,660 | 30.69% | 864 | 1.59% |
| 2016 | 32,270 | 64.26% | 15,031 | 29.93% | 2,916 | 5.81% |
| 2012 | 30,251 | 59.12% | 19,808 | 38.71% | 1,106 | 2.16% |
| 2008 | 29,342 | 56.13% | 21,712 | 41.53% | 1,222 | 2.34% |
| 2004 | 31,879 | 61.49% | 19,786 | 38.16% | 183 | 0.35% |
| 2000 | 25,901 | 61.04% | 14,779 | 34.83% | 1,756 | 4.14% |
| 1996 | 19,628 | 48.41% | 14,850 | 36.62% | 6,070 | 14.97% |
| 1992 | 18,350 | 43.71% | 13,953 | 33.24% | 9,679 | 23.06% |
| 1988 | 22,320 | 61.64% | 13,571 | 37.48% | 317 | 0.88% |
| 1984 | 24,475 | 67.79% | 11,323 | 31.36% | 305 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 18,962 | 55.87% | 12,129 | 35.73% | 2,851 | 8.40% |
| 1976 | 16,976 | 55.20% | 13,087 | 42.55% | 691 | 2.25% |
| 1972 | 20,368 | 67.72% | 9,260 | 30.79% | 448 | 1.49% |
| 1968 | 15,151 | 58.34% | 8,891 | 34.24% | 1,928 | 7.42% |
| 1964 | 9,890 | 40.05% | 14,806 | 59.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 21,273 | 69.10% | 9,511 | 30.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 19,469 | 73.60% | 6,984 | 26.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 18,074 | 68.23% | 8,414 | 31.77% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 12,152 | 57.62% | 8,868 | 42.05% | 70 | 0.33% |
| 1944 | 13,616 | 58.89% | 9,506 | 41.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 13,525 | 55.72% | 10,748 | 44.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 10,331 | 44.11% | 12,666 | 54.08% | 426 | 1.82% |
| 1932 | 10,787 | 48.82% | 10,870 | 49.19% | 440 | 1.99% |
| 1928 | 14,192 | 74.60% | 4,825 | 25.36% | 7 | 0.04% |
| 1924 | 8,928 | 53.80% | 6,023 | 36.30% | 1,643 | 9.90% |
| 1920 | 8,932 | 52.88% | 7,751 | 45.89% | 207 | 1.23% |
| 1916 | 3,676 | 37.33% | 5,930 | 60.22% | 241 | 2.45% |
| 1912 | 1,674 | 18.07% | 4,737 | 51.14% | 2,852 | 30.79% |
| 1908 | 4,388 | 43.51% | 5,368 | 53.23% | 328 | 3.25% |
| 1904 | 4,748 | 50.80% | 4,165 | 44.56% | 433 | 4.63% |
| 1900 | 4,244 | 43.11% | 5,263 | 53.46% | 338 | 3.43% |
| 1896 | 4,369 | 43.09% | 5,588 | 55.11% | 182 | 1.80% |
| 1892 | 3,752 | 41.51% | 4,702 | 52.02% | 585 | 6.47% |
| 1888 | 4,161 | 43.77% | 4,888 | 51.41% | 458 | 4.82% |
| 1884 | 4,497 | 47.05% | 4,818 | 50.41% | 242 | 2.53% |
| 1880 | 4,424 | 47.68% | 4,819 | 51.94% | 35 | 0.38% |
| 1876 | 4,009 | 46.40% | 4,598 | 53.21% | 34 | 0.39% |
| 1872 | 3,768 | 51.53% | 3,533 | 48.32% | 11 | 0.15% |
| 1868 | 3,557 | 48.24% | 3,816 | 51.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 3,155 | 48.13% | 3,400 | 51.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 3,204 | 48.73% | 3,250 | 49.43% | 121 | 1.84% |
| 1856 | 2,904 | 49.48% | 2,918 | 49.72% | 47 | 0.80% |
The Wayne County Public Library serves the communities of Wayne County, Ohio from its administrative offices inWooster, Ohio and branches inCreston,Dalton,Doylestown,Rittman,Shreve, andWest Salem.[24] It also offers bookmobile service and outreach program, and patron can use the extended services ofCLEVNET, a group of libraries located in northeast Ohio.
In 2005, the library loaned more than 1.2 million items to its 54,000 cardholders.[25] Total holding are over 340,000 volumes with over 900 periodical subscriptions.[26]
Municipalities and communities ofWayne County, Ohio,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
40°50′N81°53′W / 40.83°N 81.89°W /40.83; -81.89
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