Allen County, Ohio | |
|---|---|
 Allen County Courthouse in Lima | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofOhio | |
| Coordinates:40°46′N84°07′W / 40.77°N 84.12°W /40.77; -84.12 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Ohio |
| Founded | March 1, 1831 |
| Named after | John Allen |
| Seat | Lima |
| Largest city | Lima |
| Area | |
• Total | 407 sq mi (1,050 km2) |
| • Land | 402 sq mi (1,040 km2) |
| • Water | 4.4 sq mi (11 km2) 1.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 102,206 |
| • Density | 250/sq mi (97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | allencountyohio |
Allen County is acounty located in thenorthwestern part of theU.S. state ofOhio. Itscounty seat and largest city isLima.[1] The county was created in 1820 and organized in 1831.[2] The county is named in honor ofColonel John Allen, who was killed leading his men at theBattle of Frenchtown during theWar of 1812.[a]
Allen County comprises theLima metropolitan statistical area, and as of the2020 census, the population was 102,206.[5] Allen County also comprises the entirety of the Lima, OHmedia market.
Under the terms of theTreaty of Greenville signed in 1795, northwestern Ohio was reserved for Native Americans. Thus the area now comprising Allen County was off-limits to European settlement until the Treaty of Maumee Rapids in 1817.[6] Under the terms of this treaty, theShawnee tribe was assigned reservations atWapakonetta and at their "Hog Creek" settlement along theOttawa River which comprised most of what is the present-dayShawnee Township. The latter treaty opened the way for theOhio Legislature on March 1, 1820, to create fourteen counties, including Allen,[6] which was defined as Ranges 5 through 8 east and Towns 3 through 6 south.
The first permanent settlement within Allen County's present day bounds took place in 1824, when Christopher S. Wood and his family settled in section 7 ofBath Township.[7] The organization of Bath Township predates that of Allen County, with its first township meeting held on March 2, 1829.[8] On February 12, 1829, an act of the legislature set aside land for a "county town".[9] Wood was appointed commissioner to determine the location of this "seat of justice" for Allen County. This was done on March 3, 1831, with Wood appointed as Town Director. He laid out plots of land to be sold in section 31 of Bath Township,[10] and theplat was filed April 20, 1831, creating what was the beginning of the city ofLima.
Allen County organization's dates from the first meeting of the county commissioners, held on June 6, 1831. Present at this meeting were Commissioners James Daniels, John G. Wood, and Samuel Stewart. Also present was William G. Wood, county auditor; Adam White, county treasurer; and Henry Lippincott, sheriff.[11]
The first court of justice was held in August 1831,[11] and it is believed the assembly of men, in informal session, selected the name for the seat of justice by drawing names from a hat.[citation needed] The meeting was held at the cabin of James Daniels, which was on the bank of theOttawa River near the current location of Market Street.[11] Patrick G. Goode ofMontgomery County, specialprosecuting attorney at that session, is given credit[citation needed] for having offered up the name of "Lima" (capital ofPeru and source of thequinine used to treat themalaria prevalent in the area of theGreat Black Swamp). At the County Commission session on June 6, 1831, the formation of a second township,Jackson, was approved.[11]
In 1832 the Shawnees, including those living in the Hog Creek reservation (present day Shawnee Township), were removed to eastern Kansas. They received payment of $30 000 in fifteen annual installments for their lands which had an estimated value of over $200 000 at that time.[12] They arrived at their new home with few provisions and immediately suffered an epidemic of cholera.[12]
Lima was established as a village in 1841, and the town of Lima was organized March 29, 1842. Henry DeVilliers Williams was elected the first mayor and Amos Clutter was elected the first town marshal.[citation needed]
In 1848, Allen County's boundaries changed with a reorganization that createdAuglaize County, Ohio, from the southern half of the original county. Town 2S, Range 7E (Monroe Twp.); Town 2S, Range 8E (Richland Twp.); the southern half of Town 2S, Range 5E, and the southern half of Town 2S, Range 6E (Sugar Creek Twp.) were transferred fromPutnam County to Allen County. Parts ofVan Wert andMercer Counties were also transferred to Allen to formSpencer Township and part ofMarion Township. In May 1853, Allen and Putnam Counties agreed on a cash settlement for Putnam's loss.[13]
There were several practical implications of these changes to the boundaries of Allen County.Lima, the county seat, became near the county's center, rather than in the northern quarter. The county's western part gained a significant stretch of theMiami and Erie Canal, which was completed in 1845. The reorganization also brought the towns of Spencerville, laid out in 1844 on the canal,[14] and Bluffton within the bounds of the county.
In 1885, oil was discovered in Lima. This began a boom in Allen County which lasted until after 1910.
One of Allen County's notable annual events is its County Fair. Run every August in Lima since 1851, the Fair is among Western Ohio's foremost agricultural showcasing events. In 2005, there were over 220,000 visitors and almost 3,000 exhibitors, making it the largest in the state.
The fair attracted many nationally known performers during the 1980s and 1990s, and combined with significant renovations to the county show grounds, these factors led to a marked increase in attendance and notoriety over the past two decades.[15]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 407 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (1.1%) is water.[16]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 578 | — | |
| 1840 | 9,079 | 1,470.8% | |
| 1850 | 12,109 | 33.4% | |
| 1860 | 19,185 | 58.4% | |
| 1870 | 23,623 | 23.1% | |
| 1880 | 31,314 | 32.6% | |
| 1890 | 40,644 | 29.8% | |
| 1900 | 47,976 | 18.0% | |
| 1910 | 56,580 | 17.9% | |
| 1920 | 68,223 | 20.6% | |
| 1930 | 69,419 | 1.8% | |
| 1940 | 73,303 | 5.6% | |
| 1950 | 88,183 | 20.3% | |
| 1960 | 103,691 | 17.6% | |
| 1970 | 111,144 | 7.2% | |
| 1980 | 112,241 | 1.0% | |
| 1990 | 109,755 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 108,743 | −0.9% | |
| 2010 | 106,331 | −2.2% | |
| 2020 | 102,206 | −3.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19] 1990-2000[20] 2020[5] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[23] | Pop 1990[24] | Pop 2000[25] | Pop 2010[26] | Pop 2020[27] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 99,772 | 95,442 | 91,356 | 87,708 | 79,691 | 88.89% | 86.96% | 84.22% | 82.49% | 77.97% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 10,878 | 12,236 | 13,130 | 12,508 | 12,475 | 9.69% | 11.15% | 12.10% | 11.76% | 12.21% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 135 | 180 | 206 | 162 | 233 | 0.12% | 0.16% | 0.19% | 0.15% | 0.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 376 | 546 | 594 | 725 | 835 | 0.33% | 0.50% | 0.55% | 0.68% | 0.82% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[28] | x[29] | 12 | 13 | 42 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 152 | 111 | 207 | 271 | 541 | 0.14% | 0.10% | 0.19% | 0.25% | 0.53% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[30] | x[31] | 1,423 | 2,431 | 5,117 | x | x | 1.31% | 2.29% | 5.01% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 928 | 1,240 | 1,545 | 2,513 | 3,272 | 0.83% | 1.13% | 1.42% | 2.36% | 3.20% |
| Total | 112,241 | 109,755 | 108,473 | 106,331 | 102,206 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 102,206. The median age was 40.2 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.5 males age 18 and over.[32][33]
The racial makeup of the county was 79.0%White, 12.3%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race, and 6.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.2% of the population.[33]
69.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 31.0% lived in rural areas.[34]
There were 40,935 households in the county, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.8% were married-couple households, 19.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[32]
There were 44,563 housing units, of which 8.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.9% were owner-occupied and 33.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.4%.[32]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 106,331 people, 40,619 households, and 26,982 families living in the county.[35] The population density was 264.2 inhabitants per square mile (102.0/km2). There were 44,999 housing units at an average density of 111.8 units per square mile (43.2 units/km2).[36] The racial makeup of the county was 83.8% white, 11.9% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population.[35] In terms of ancestry, 34.7% wereGerman, 12.6% wereIrish, 9.7% wereAmerican, and 7.1% wereEnglish.[37]
Of the 40,619 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.6% were non-families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 38.3 years.[35]
The median income for a household in the county was $43,632 and the median income for a family was $55,549. Males had a median income of $43,277 versus $31,148 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,713. About 12.0% of families and 16.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.1% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.[38]
As of thecensus[39] of 2000, there were 108,473 people, 40,646 households, and 28,208 families living in the county. The population density was 268 inhabitants per square mile (103/km2). There were 44,245 housing units at an average density of 109 units per square mile (42/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.95%White, 12.19%Black orAfrican American, 0.21%Native American, 0.55%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.63% fromother races, and 1.45% from two or more races. 1.42% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 33.8% were ofGerman, 14.2%American, 8.8%Irish, and 6.6%English ancestry according toCensus 2000.
There were 40,646 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% weremarried couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 26.30% 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 2.52 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,048, and the median income for a family was $44,723. Males had a median income of $35,546 versus $23,537 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,511. About 9.60% of families and 12.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 9.60% of those age 65 or over.
Although strongly Democratic up toWorld War I, when the only Democrat to lose the county wasAlton B. Parker in 1904, Allen County has since become a very solid Republican county. Along withDelaware,Fulton,Hancock andUnion, it was one of five Ohio counties to remain loyal toBarry Goldwater in 1964, and the last Democrat to carry the county wasFranklin Roosevelt in his 1936 landslide.[40]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 33,201 | 71.28% | 12,754 | 27.38% | 621 | 1.33% |
| 2020 | 33,116 | 68.85% | 14,149 | 29.42% | 834 | 1.73% |
| 2016 | 30,487 | 65.94% | 13,294 | 28.75% | 2,453 | 5.31% |
| 2012 | 29,502 | 61.03% | 17,914 | 37.06% | 925 | 1.91% |
| 2008 | 29,940 | 59.29% | 19,522 | 38.66% | 1,033 | 2.05% |
| 2004 | 32,580 | 66.14% | 16,470 | 33.44% | 206 | 0.42% |
| 2000 | 28,647 | 65.41% | 13,996 | 31.96% | 1,152 | 2.63% |
| 1996 | 24,325 | 55.35% | 15,529 | 35.33% | 4,094 | 9.32% |
| 1992 | 25,322 | 53.48% | 13,777 | 29.10% | 8,251 | 17.43% |
| 1988 | 31,021 | 68.97% | 13,727 | 30.52% | 227 | 0.50% |
| 1984 | 33,506 | 72.98% | 12,176 | 26.52% | 229 | 0.50% |
| 1980 | 29,070 | 65.84% | 13,140 | 29.76% | 1,944 | 4.40% |
| 1976 | 23,721 | 60.56% | 14,627 | 37.35% | 819 | 2.09% |
| 1972 | 26,966 | 69.96% | 10,184 | 26.42% | 1,393 | 3.61% |
| 1968 | 23,124 | 60.30% | 10,994 | 28.67% | 4,231 | 11.03% |
| 1964 | 19,897 | 51.17% | 18,990 | 48.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 28,007 | 65.54% | 14,725 | 34.46% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 28,388 | 70.22% | 12,042 | 29.78% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 26,396 | 65.12% | 14,139 | 34.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 17,380 | 56.67% | 13,161 | 42.91% | 127 | 0.41% |
| 1944 | 21,024 | 62.59% | 12,564 | 37.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 20,675 | 58.83% | 14,469 | 41.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 15,079 | 44.89% | 16,500 | 49.12% | 2,013 | 5.99% |
| 1932 | 14,678 | 45.97% | 16,676 | 52.23% | 576 | 1.80% |
| 1928 | 20,693 | 68.21% | 9,462 | 31.19% | 182 | 0.60% |
| 1924 | 15,711 | 61.76% | 7,378 | 29.00% | 2,348 | 9.23% |
| 1920 | 13,978 | 53.59% | 11,658 | 44.70% | 446 | 1.71% |
| 1916 | 5,713 | 40.40% | 7,905 | 55.91% | 522 | 3.69% |
| 1912 | 2,638 | 22.33% | 5,696 | 48.21% | 3,481 | 29.46% |
| 1908 | 5,841 | 43.08% | 7,195 | 53.07% | 521 | 3.84% |
| 1904 | 6,091 | 52.50% | 4,980 | 42.92% | 532 | 4.59% |
| 1900 | 5,281 | 43.94% | 6,540 | 54.42% | 197 | 1.64% |
| 1896 | 4,959 | 43.01% | 6,394 | 55.46% | 176 | 1.53% |
| 1892 | 3,579 | 38.55% | 4,945 | 53.26% | 761 | 8.20% |
| 1888 | 3,761 | 41.07% | 5,123 | 55.94% | 274 | 2.99% |
| 1884 | 3,372 | 42.67% | 4,442 | 56.21% | 89 | 1.13% |
| 1880 | 2,906 | 42.44% | 3,890 | 56.81% | 51 | 0.74% |
| 1876 | 2,481 | 41.23% | 3,518 | 58.47% | 18 | 0.30% |
| 1872 | 2,010 | 44.61% | 2,463 | 54.66% | 33 | 0.73% |
| 1868 | 1,892 | 42.15% | 2,597 | 57.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 1,882 | 45.61% | 2,244 | 54.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 1,796 | 48.18% | 1,882 | 50.48% | 50 | 1.34% |
| 1856 | 1,415 | 46.90% | 1,508 | 49.98% | 94 | 3.12% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 30,208 | 65.69% | 14,120 | 30.70% | 1,660 | 3.61% |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Places adjacent to Allen County, Ohio | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofAllen County, Ohio,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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