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Franklin County, Ohio
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Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2000, the population was 1,068,978. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 Population Estimates, the population had grown to 1,118,107, which makes it the second largest county in Ohio (after Cuyahoga County) and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Encyclopedia
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2000, the population was 1,068,978. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 Population Estimates, the population had grown to 1,118,107, which makes it the second largest county in Ohio (after Cuyahoga County) and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is Columbus, which is located in the middle of the county. Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the 15th largest city in the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 Population Estimates. Columbus makes up about 66.56% of the population of the county, the rest being provided by various suburbs and townships, and Franklin County itself makes up about 9.42% of the state population as of 2000.
Franklin County, particularly Columbus, has been a centerpiece for presidential and U.S. congressional politics, most notably the 2000 presidential election, the 2004 United States presidential election, and the 2006 United States midterm elections. Franklin County is home to the largest university in the United States, The Ohio State University, which, as of Fall 2006, has an enrollment of 51,818 students.
The county was established on April 30, 1803, less than two months after Ohio became a state, and was named after Benjamin Franklin. Franklin County originally extended all the way north to Lake Erie before Ohio subdivided further into more counties.
Franklin County has diverse levels of development, ranging from the urban core of Columbus to the quite rural southern and western portions of the county. The far south-west, near Harrisburg, offers little to no indication of a city of over 730,000 people (according the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates from July 1, 2005) less than 20 minutes away. This may be partly due to a development restriction established to protect the scenic Darby Creek on the border of Madison County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Franklin County has a total area of 543 square miles (1,407 km˛), of which, 540 square miles (1,398 km˛) of it is land and 3 square miles (9 km˛) of it (0.63%) is water. The county is located in the Till Plains and the Appalachian Plateau land regions.
The county is drained by the Olentangy River and the Scioto River. Major creeks in the county include Big Darby Creek, Walnut Creek, and Alum Creek.
There are two reservoirs in the county, Hoover Reservoir and Big Darby Reservoir.
Adjacent counties
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,068,978 people, 438,778 households, and 263,705 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,980 people per square mile (765/km˛). There were 471,016 housing units at an average density of 872 per square mile (337/km˛). The racial makeup of the county was 75.48% White, 17.89% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 3.07% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 2.23% from two or more races. 2.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 438,778 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.00% were married couples living together, 13.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.90% were non-families. 30.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 11.70% from 18 to 24, 33.30% from 25 to 44, 20.10% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,734, and the median income for a family was $53,905. Males had a median income of $37,672 versus $29,856 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,059. About 8.20% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
History
On March 30, 1803, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Franklin County. The county originally was part of Ross County. Residents named the county in honor of Benjamin Franklin. In 1816, Franklin County’s Columbus became Ohio’s state capital. Surveyors laid out the city in 1812, and officials incorporated it in 1816. Columbus was not Ohio’s original capital, but the state legislature chose to move the state government there after its location for a short time at Chillicothe and at Zanesville. Columbus was chosen as the site for the new capital because of its central location within the state and access by way of major transportation routes (primarily rivers) at that time. The legislature chose it as Ohio’s capital over a number of other competitors, including Franklinton, Dublin, Worthington, and Delaware.
Prior to the state legislature’s decision in 1812, Columbus did not exist. The city was designed from the first as the state’s capital, preparing itself for its role in Ohio’s political, economic, and social life. In the years between first ground-breaking and the actual movement of the capital in 1816, Columbus and Franklin County grew significantly. By 1813, workers had built a penitentiary, and by the following year, residents had established the first church, school, and newspaper in Columbus. Workers completed the statehouse in 1814. Columbus and Franklin County grew quickly in population, with the city having seven hundred people by 1815. Columbus officially became the county seat in 1824. By 1834, the population of Columbus was four thousand people, officially elevating it to “city” status.
Government
Communities
Franklin County is currently made up of 13 cities, 12 villages, and 17 townships.
Cities
Villages
Townships
Census-designated places
Other communities
External links
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