Van Wert County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the U.S. state of

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,931.2020 census
/ref> Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Van Wert. The county was created on February 12, 1820, and later organized on March 18, 1837. It is named for Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors of John André in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. Van Wert County comprises the Van Wert, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included within the

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

-Van Wert- Celina, OH Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Paulding County (north) * Putnam County (northeast) * Allen County, Ohio (east) * Auglaize County (southeast) * Mercer County (south) * Adams County, Indiana (southwest) *

Allen County, Indiana Allen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 385,410, making it the List of counties in Indiana, third-most populous county in Indiana. The county seat and largest city is Fort Wayne, Indiana, ...

(northwest) Van Wert County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Allen County in Ohio and Indiana).

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 29,659 people, 11,587 households and 8,354 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 12,363 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.43%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.75%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.11% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.75% from other races and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.56% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 11,587 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.40% 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 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,497, and the median income for a family was $46,503. Males had a median income of $32,377 versus $23,859 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $18,293. About 4.20% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 5.80% of those under age 18 and 4.00% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 28,744 people, 11,439 households and 7,921 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 12,615 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 43.6% were German, 12.4% were Irish, 11.5% were English and 11.0% were American. Of the 11,439 households, 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 40.3 years. The median income for a household in the county was $44,415 and the median income for a family was $51,215. Males had a median income of $37,408 versus $28,692 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,772. About 6.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the

, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Van Wert County is a stronghold Republican county in presidential elections. In 2020,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

nearly won 80% of the votes cast in the county.

Government

Van Wert County has a 3-member Board of County Commissioners that administer and oversee the various County departments, similar to all but 2 of the 88 Ohio counties. The elected commissioners serve four-year terms. Van Wert County's three elected commissioners are: Thad Lichtensteiger (R), Stan Owens (R), and Todd Wolfrum (R).

Communities

Cities

* Delphos (part) * Van Wert (county seat)

Villages

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

* Elgin * Middle Point * Ohio City * Scott * Venedocia * Willshire * Wren

Townships

* Harrison * Hoaglin * Jackson *

Jennings Jennings is a surname of early medieval English origin (also the Anglicised version of the Irish surnames Mac Sheóinín or MacJonin). Notable people with the surname include: *Jennings (Swedish noble family) A–G *Adam Jennings (born 1982), A ...

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

* Pleasant *

Ridge A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...

* Tully * Union * Washington * Willshire *

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

Unincorporated communities

* Abanaka * Cavett * Dixon‡ * Dull * Glenmore * Hoaglin *

Jonestown The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, better known by its informal name "Jonestown", was a remote settlement in Guyana established by the Peoples Temple, an American religious movement under the leadership of Jim Jones. Jonestown became in ...

* Middlebury * Monticello * Schumm * Seamersville

References

External links

County website

The Van Wert County Economic Development Group

Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor
{{Authority control 1837 establishments in Ohio Populated places established in 1837