Jefferson County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

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. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,249. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Steubenville Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 census. The city's name is derived from Fort Steuben, a ...

. The county is named for

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

, who was vice president at the time of its creation. Jefferson County is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV–OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Pittsburgh–New Castle–Weirton, PA–WV–OH Combined Statistical Area.

History

Jefferson County was organized on July 29, 1797, by proclamation of Governor Arthur St. Clair, six years before Ohio was granted statehood. Its boundaries were originally quite large, including all of northeastern Ohio east of the Cuyahoga River, but it was divided and redrawn several times before assuming its present-day boundaries in 1833, after the formation of neighboring Carroll County. In 1786, the United States built Fort Steuben to protect the government surveyors mapping the land west of the Ohio River. When the surveyors completed their task a few years later, the fort was abandoned. In the meantime, settlers had built homes around the fort; they named their settlement La Belle. When the county was created in 1797, La Belle was selected as the County seat. The town was subsequently renamed Steubenville, in honor of the abandoned fort. During the first half of the 19th century, Steubenville was primarily a port town, and the rest of the county consisted of small villages and farms. However, in 1856, Frazier, Kilgore and Company erected a rolling mill (the forerunner of steel mills) and the Steubenville Coal and Mining Company sank a coal shaft, resulting in Jefferson County becoming one of the leading centers of the new Industrial Revolution.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Columbiana County (north) * Hancock County, West Virginia (northeast) *

Brooke County, West Virginia Brooke County is a county in the Northern Panhandle of the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,559. Its county seat is Wellsburg. The county was created in 1797 from part of Ohio County and named in hon ...

(east) * Ohio County, West Virginia (southeast) * Belmont County (south) * Harrison County (southwest) * Carroll County (northwest)

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * *

Demographics

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 73,894 people, 30,417 households, and 20,592 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 180 people per square mile (70/km²). There were 33,291 housing units at an average density of 81 per square mile (31/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.49%

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

, 5.68%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.20% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.25% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. 96.5% spoke

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

, 1.1% Spanish and 1.0% Italian as their first language. There were 30,417 households, out of which 26.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% were

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

living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.88. In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,853, and the median income for a family was $38,807. Males had a median income of $35,785 versus $20,375 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $16,476. About 11.40% of families and 15.10% 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 22.30% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

, there were 69,709 people, 29,109 households, and 18,713 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 32,826 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.9% white, 5.6% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 20.0% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 17.1% were Irish, 12.9% were Italian, 9.1% were

, 8.3% were Polish, and 4.6% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

. Of the 29,109 households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.7% were non-families, and 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 43.9 years. The median income for a household in the county was $37,527 and the median income for a family was $47,901. Males had a median income of $43,601 versus $27,965 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,470. About 12.4% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the

, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Like many Appalachian counties, Jefferson County was a strong Democratic county in the 20th century. However, since the turn of the 21st century, it has become much more competitive and even moved towards the Republicans during the Democratic years of 2008 and 2012. In 2012,

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts ...

became the first Republican candidate in four decades to win the county, since the county voted for President Nixon in the 1972 presidential election.

Government

The county commissioners are Thomas Graham, Dave Maple, and Tony Morelli.

Transportation

Commercial air service is available at nearby

Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pitts ...

to the east via U.S. Route 22. The county is served by two general aviation fields, the

Jefferson County Airpark Jefferson County Airpark (Steubenville, Ohio) , is a full-service general aviation public airport near Steubenville, Ohio, U.S., part of the Pittsburgh Combined Statistical Area that serves small and mid-sized private, corporate and commercial ...

and the

Eddie Dew Memorial Airpark Eddie Dew Memorial Airpark , is a privately owned airport near Toronto, Ohio, U.S., part of the Pittsburgh Combined Statistical Area. The airport opened in December 1937. Twenty-two aircraft are reported as being based at the airport; approxi ...

. Ohio Route 7 is the main north–south highway through the county.

Education

Colleges and universities

* Franciscan University of Steubenville

Community, junior, and technical colleges

* Eastern Gateway Community College * Trinity Health System School of Nursing

Public school districts

* Buckeye Local School District *

Edison Local School District 400px, Stanton Elementary in Hammondsville The Edison Local School District is a public school district based in the community of Hammondsville, Ohio, United States. The district serves the villages of Amsterdam, Bergholz, Empire, Irond ...

Indian Creek Local School District The Indian Creek Local School District is a public school district based in Wintersville, Ohio, United States. The district serves the villages of Wintersville, Bloomingdale, and Mingo Junction, the far western portion of Steubenville as wel ...

* Steubenville City School District * Toronto City School District

High schools

* Buckeye Local High School * Catholic Central High School * Edison High School * Indian Creek High School * Jefferson County Christian School *

Steubenville High School Steubenville High School is a public high school in Steubenville, Ohio, United States. It is the only secondary school in the Steubenville City School District. Athletics The school offers baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, softball, ...

* Toronto High School

Communities

Map of Jefferson County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Cities

(county seat) *

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Villages

* Adena *

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

* Bergholz * Bloomingdale * Dillonvale *

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

* Irondale * Mingo Junction * Mount Pleasant * New Alexandria * Rayland *

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

* Smithfield * Stratton * Tiltonsville * Wintersville * Yorkville

Townships

* Brush Creek * Cross Creek * Island Creek * Knox * Mount Pleasant * Ross * Salem * Saline * Smithfield * Springfield *

* Warren * Wayne * Wells

Census-designated places

Brilliant Brilliant may refer to: Music * ''Brilliant'' (album), a 2012 album by Ultravox *Brilliant (band), a British pop/rock group active in the 1980s * "Brilliant" (song), a song by D'espairsRay *Brilliant Classics, Dutch classical music record label * ...

* Connorville * East Springfield * Pottery Addition

Unincorporated communities

* Alikanna * Altamont *

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

Belvedere Belvedere (from Italian, meaning "beautiful sight") may refer to: Places Australia *Belvedere, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region Africa * Belvedere (Casablanca), a neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco * Belvedere, Harare, Z ...

* Bradley *

Broadacre Broadacre in Australia is land suitable for farms practicing large-scale crop operations. The key crop segments in this category are as follows: * oilseeds - canola, sunflowers * winter and summer cereals - wheat, barley, oats, triticale, sorgh ...

* Calumet * Chandler * Circle Green * Costonia * Cream City * Deandale * Deyarmonville * Dunglen * Emerson * Fairplay * Fernwood *

Georges Run Georges may refer to: Places *Georges River, New South Wales, Australia *Georges Quay (Dublin) *Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses *Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 1977 ...

Gould Gould may refer to: People * Gould (name), a surname Places United States * Gould, Arkansas, a city * Gould, Colorado, an unincorporated community * Gould, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Gould, Oklahoma, a town * Gould, West Virginia, ...

* Grandview Heights * Greentown * Hammondsville * Herrick *

Holt Holt or holte may refer to: Natural world *Holt (den), an otter den * Holt, an area of woodland Places Australia * Holt, Australian Capital Territory * Division of Holt, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives in Vic ...

* Hopewell * Jackson Heights * Knoxville * McConnelsville *

McIntyre McIntyre, McEntire, MacIntyre, McAteer, and McIntire are Scottish and Irish surnames derived from the Gaelic ' literally meaning "Son of the Craftsman or Mason", but more commonly cited as "son of the Carpenter."Scottish Clans: MacIntyre - Origin o ...

* Middleburg * Monroeville * New Somerset * Newell * Olszeski Town * Osage *

Panhandle A salient (also known as a panhandle or bootheel) is an elongated protrusion of a geopolitical entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state. While similar to a peninsula in shape, a salient is most often not surrounded by water on ...

* Parlett *

Piney Fork Piney may refer to: Places United States * Piney, Arkansas (disambiguation) * Piney Buttes, Montana, a set of buttes * Piney, Oklahoma, a census designated place * Piney Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania * Piney River (disambiguation) * Piney ...

* Port Homer *

Pravo Pravo horo ( bg, Право хоро, lit=straight dance) is a very popular, simple folk dance from Bulgaria that is done throughout the Balkan countries. In Greece it is called Zonaradiko. It is considered the "national dance" of Bulgaria, Albani ...

* Ramsey * Reeds Mill * Robyville * Rush Run * Shady Glen * Unionport * Warrenton * Wolf Run * Weems * Yellow Creek *

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

Historical community

Carpenter's Fort, or Carpenter's Station as it was sometimes called, was established in the summer of 1781 when John Carpenter built a fortified house above the mouth of Short Creek on the Ohio side of the Ohio River in Coshocton County, but now in Jefferson County, Ohio, near

Rayland, Ohio Rayland is a village in southern Jefferson County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 389 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. History Rayland was originally called Portla ...

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Jefferson County. * ''majority of municipality in Harrison County''
** ''minority of municipality in Belmont County''
† ''county seat''

References

External links

County website
{{coord, 40.38, -80.76, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-OH_source:UScensus1990 Ohio counties 1797 establishments in the Northwest Territory Appalachian Ohio Counties of Appalachia Ohio counties on the Ohio River Populated places established in 1797