Ohio County, Indiana

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Ohio County is a county located in southeastern Indiana. With a 2020 population of 5,940, and an area of just 87 square miles, Ohio County is the smallest county in Indiana by area and the least populous.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat and only incorporated municipality is Rising Sun.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county was officially established in 1844 and was one of the last Indiana counties to be created. Ohio County borders the state of Kentucky across the Ohio River for which it was named. It is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is divided into four townships which provide local services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TD">Template:Cite web</ref> Three state roads pass through or into the county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Dearborn County was formed from Indiana Territory in 1803, and its borders were modified several times, both before and after the creation of the state of Indiana in 1816. Ohio County was created out of Dearborn County, authorized by legislative action effective January 4, 1844, to resolve a dispute of county seat between Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg.<ref>History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana 1885, p9. 111–9.</ref> It was named for the Ohio River, which defines its eastern border.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The Ohio County courthouse was built in the county seat of Rising Sun in 1845. It is a two-story Greek Revival brick building measuring about Template:Convert by Template:Convert, including the portico supported by Doric pillars.<ref>History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, Indiana 1885, pp. 123–124.</ref> This courthouse is still in use and is the oldest continuously used courthouse in the state.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

File:Map of Ohio County, Indiana.svg

Map of Ohio County, showing townships and settlements

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert (or 98.52%) is land and Template:Convert (or 1.48%) is water.<ref name=CD/>

Adjacent counties

Boone County, Kentucky – east
Dearborn County – north
Ripley County – northwest
Switzerland County – south

Communities

Incorporated communities

Rising Sun – on the banks of the Ohio River

Unincorporated communities

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Townships

File:Rising-sun-indiana-ohio-river--from-above.jpg

Rising Sun, on the Ohio River.

Transportation

Highways

US Route 50 in Dearborn County passes within Template:Convert of Ohio County's northern border.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State Road 56 enters from Switzerland County to the south and passes east along the southern border, then north through Rising Sun and along the river, continuing north to Dearborn county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State Road 156 runs along the Ohio River in Switzerland County, and enters the far southeast part of Ohio County, continuing NW and north to its intersection with State Road 56, 1.5 miles inside Ohio County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State Road 262 enters from Dillsboro and crosses the county in a general eastern direction, ending in Rising Sun.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Railroads

There are no active railroad lines in the county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Ohio County has two schools managed by a single school corporation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Ohio County Elementary–Middle School served a total of 636 students during the 2009–2010 school year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rising Sun High School served a total of 264 students during the same period.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ohio County residents are served by the Ohio County Public Library with a single branch in Rising Sun.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate and weather

Template:Climate chart In recent years, average temperatures in Rising Sun have ranged from a low of Template:Convert in January to a high of Template:Convert in July, although a record low of Template:Convert was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of Template:Convert was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Template:Convert in October to Template:Convert in June.<ref name=WX/>

Government

Template:See also The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.<ref name="inc3623">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="inc2102">Template:Cite web</ref>

A board of commissioners serves as the county's executive body. The commissioners are elected county–wide to staggered four–year terms. One commissioner serves as board president. The board executes the acts legislated by the council, collects revenue, and manages day-to-day functions of the county government.<ref name=inc3623/><ref name=inc2102/>

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court which is shared with neighboring Dearborn County.<ref name=inc2102/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk; they are elected to four–year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.<ref name=inc2102/>

Each of the townships has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties.<ref name=TD/> The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ohio County is part of Indiana's 6th congressional district; Indiana Senate district 43;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Indiana House of Representatives district 68.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

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As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 6,128 people, 2,477 households, and 1,737 families residing in the county.<ref name="DP1">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,784 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="CD">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population.<ref name=DP1/> In terms of ancestry, 33.5% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 12.2% were American, and 7.3% were English.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 2,477 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 43.7 years.<ref name=DP1/>

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $64,271. Males had a median income of $49,241 versus $30,536 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,703. About 5.5% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

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External links

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