Franklin County, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Franklin County
County
The Franklin County Government Center
Flag Coat of arms
Etymology: Benjamin Franklin
Map of Ohio highlighting Franklin County
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Region	Central Ohio
City	Columbus
Founded	April 30, 1803
County seat	Columbus
Area
• Total	543.624 sq mi (1,407.977 km2)
• Land	532.422 sq mi (1,378.966 km2)
• Water	11.202 sq mi (29.013 km2)
Elevation	1,132 ft (345 m)
Population
• Total	1,323,807
• Estimate  (2023)	1,326,063
• Density	2,435.1519/sq mi (940.2192/km2)
Gross Domestic Product
• Total	US$106.988 billion (2022)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area codes	614 and 380
Congressional districts	3rd 15th
FIPS code	39-049

Franklin County is a county in the state of Ohio. It is the most populated county in Ohio. In 2020, about 1.3 million people lived there.

Most of Franklin County is covered by its main city, Columbus. Columbus is not only the county seat but also the capital city of Ohio. It is also the largest city in Ohio.

Franklin County was created on April 30, 1803. This was less than two months after Ohio became a state. The county was named after Benjamin Franklin, a famous American leader. Long ago, Franklin County stretched all the way north to Lake Erie. Later, it was divided into smaller counties. Today, Franklin County is the center of the Columbus metropolitan area.

Franklin County, especially Columbus, is very important in American politics. It has played a key role in many presidential and congressional elections. The county is also home to one of the biggest universities in the United States, Ohio State University. Its main campus in Columbus has about 60,000 students!

Franklin County shares its name with Franklin County in Kentucky. That county is home to Frankfort, the capital of Kentucky. This is one of only two times in the U.S. where two state capitals are in counties with the same name.

History of Franklin County

The Ohio government decided to create Franklin County on March 30, 1803. Before that, the area was part of Ross County. People chose to name the county after Benjamin Franklin.

In 1816, Columbus became the capital of Ohio. Surveyors first planned the city in 1812. It officially became a city in 1816. Columbus was not Ohio's first capital. The state government had been in Chillicothe and Zanesville for a short time. Columbus was chosen because it was in the middle of the state. It also had good access to rivers, which were important for travel back then.

Before 1812, Columbus did not exist. It was designed to be the new state capital. Between 1812 and 1816, Columbus and Franklin County grew a lot. By 1813, a prison was built. By 1814, the first church, school, and newspaper were started in Columbus. The Ohio Statehouse, where the government meets, was finished in 1861. Columbus and Franklin County quickly grew in population. By 1815, Columbus had 700 people. In 1824, Columbus officially became the county seat. By 1834, its population reached 4,000, making it an official "city."

Geography and Nature

Franklin County covers about 544 square miles. Most of this area, about 532 square miles, is land. The remaining 11 square miles (about 2.1%) is water. The county is located in two land regions: the Till Plains and the Appalachian Plateau.

The county has two main rivers: the Olentangy River and the Scioto River. Important creeks include Big Darby Creek, Big Walnut Creek, and Alum Creek. There are also two large reservoirs, which are like big lakes that store water: Hoover Reservoir and Griggs Reservoir.

Neighboring Counties

Franklin County shares its borders with these counties:

• Delaware County (north)
• Fairfield County (southeast)
• Licking County (east)
• Madison County (west)
• Pickaway County (south)
• Union County (northwest)

Main Roads

Many important highways run through Franklin County, connecting it to other parts of Ohio and the country.

Population and People

The population of Franklin County has grown a lot over the years. Here's how it has changed:

Population in 2020

In 2020, Franklin County had 1,323,807 people. There were 540,369 households, which are groups of people living together. The county is quite diverse.

About 22.9% of the people were under 18 years old. About 13.2% were 65 years or older.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Franklin County had 1,163,414 people. The average household had 2.38 people. The average family had 3.05 people. The median age was 33.4 years. This means half the people were younger than 33.4 and half were older.

The median income for a household was $49,087. This is the middle income for all households. For families, the median income was $62,372.

Ethnic origins in Franklin County

Economy and Jobs

Franklin County has a strong economy with many different types of jobs. Here are some of the largest employers in the county, based on a 2022 report:

Communities in Franklin County

Franklin County is made up of different types of communities. These include cities, villages, and townships.

Cities

Villages

Townships

Other Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities, villages, or townships:

Education

Franklin County has many school districts that serve its students.

City School Districts

Local School Districts

State Schools

Ohio also has special schools in Franklin County for students with specific needs:

• Ohio State School for the Blind
• Ohio School for the Deaf

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Franklin (Ohio) para niños