Darke County, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darke County
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Darke County Courthouse, Sheriff's House and Jail
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Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
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 Ohio's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Ohio |
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| Founded | March 1, 1817 | |
| Named for | William Darke | |
| Seat | Greenville | |
| Largest city | Greenville | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 600 sq mi (2,000 km2) | |
| • Land | 598 sq mi (1,550 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.7 sq mi (4 km2) 0.3%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 51,881  |
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| • Density | 86/sq mi (33/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 8th | |
Darke County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 51,881. Its county seat and largest city is Greenville. The county was created in 1809 and later organized in 1817. It is named for William Darke, an officer in the American Revolutionary War. Darke County comprises the Greenville, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Dayton-Springfield-Sidney, OH Combined Statistical Area.
Contents
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 600 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Mercer County (north)
- Shelby County (northeast)
- Miami County (east)
- Montgomery County (southeast)
- Preble County (south)
- Wayne County, Indiana (southwest)
- Randolph County, Indiana (west)
- Jay County, Indiana (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 3,622 | — | |
| 1830 | 6,204 | 71.3% | |
| 1840 | 13,282 | 114.1% | |
| 1850 | 20,276 | 52.7% | |
| 1860 | 26,009 | 28.3% | |
| 1870 | 32,278 | 24.1% | |
| 1880 | 40,496 | 25.5% | |
| 1890 | 42,961 | 6.1% | |
| 1900 | 42,532 | −1.0% | |
| 1910 | 42,933 | 0.9% | |
| 1920 | 42,911 | −0.1% | |
| 1930 | 38,009 | −11.4% | |
| 1940 | 38,831 | 2.2% | |
| 1950 | 41,799 | 7.6% | |
| 1960 | 45,612 | 9.1% | |
| 1970 | 49,141 | 7.7% | |
| 1980 | 55,096 | 12.1% | |
| 1990 | 53,619 | −2.7% | |
| 2000 | 53,309 | −0.6% | |
| 2010 | 52,959 | −0.7% | |
| 2020 | 51,881 | −2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2020 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 52,959 people, 20,929 households, and 14,673 families living in the county. The population density was 88.5 inhabitants per square mile (34.2/km2). There were 22,730 housing units at an average density of 38.0 units per square mile (14.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.8% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 38.9% were German, 11.5% were American, 10.6% were Irish, and 9.0% were English.
Of the 20,929 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 40.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,280, and the median income for a family was $53,454. Males had a median income of $40,402 versus $28,310 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,483. About 7.5% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public school districts
- Ansonia Local Schools
- Ansonia High School, Ansonia (the Tigers)
- Arcanum-Butler Local School District
- Arcanum High School, Arcanum (the Trojans)
- Franklin Monroe Schools
- Franklin Monroe Middle School/High School, Pitsburg (the Jets)
- Greenville City School District
- Greenville Senior High School, Greenville (the Green Wave)
- Mississinawa Valley Local School District
- Mississinawa Valley Junior/Senior High School, Union City (the Blackhawks)
- Tri-Village Local School District
- Tri-Village High School, New Madison (the Patriots)
- Versailles Exempted Village Schools
- Versailles High School, Versailles (the Tigers)
Communities
City
- Greenville (county seat)
Villages
Townships
- Adams
- Allen
- Brown
- Butler
- Franklin
- Greenville
- Harrison
- Jackson
- Liberty
- Mississinawa
- Monroe
- Neave
- Patterson
- Richland
- Twin
- Van Buren
- Wabash
- Washington
- Wayne
- York
Unincorporated communities
Historic places
Darke County has 25 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Darke County Courthouse, Sheriff's House, and Jail, and the Versailles Town Hall and Wayne Township House.
Darke County is home to the Eldora Speedway located near New Weston, which hosts many big events throughout the year.
Notable residents
- Joseph Lowery Johnson, U.S. ambassador to Liberia
- Matt Light, NFL football player
- Lucullus Virgil McWhorter, farmer and frontiersman
- Annie Oakley, famed 19th-century markswoman
- Lowell Thomas, travel author and broadcaster
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Darke para niños
