Erie 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 northern portion of 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 75,622. 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 ...

is Sandusky. The county is named for the Erie tribe, whose name was their word for "wildcat". It was formed in 1838 from the northern third of Huron County and a portion of Sandusky County. Erie County comprises the Sandusky, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

- Akron-

Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ente ...

, OH

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

History

Erie County was created in 1838 from a portion of Huron County. A few subsequent changes to Erie County's boundaries occurred shortly after its initial formation.

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 (60%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in Ohio by land area after Lake County . The county is bordered on the north by

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also ha ...

; the opposite shore is made up of two counties in Ontario, Canada. It is drained by the

Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawato ...

and

Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its corresponding color. It i ...

rivers. Near the Huron River are several ancient earthwork mounds and enclosures constructed by early indigenous peoples. Sandusky has extensive quarries of valuable limestone. The surface is generally level, and the soil alluvial and exceedingly fertile.

Adjacent counties and municipalities

* Essex County,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

(north, across Lake Erie) * Chatham-Kent municipality,

(north, across Lake Erie) *

Lorain County Lorain County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,964. Its county seat is Elyria. The county was physically established in 1822, becoming judicially independent in 182 ...

(east) * Huron County (south) * Sandusky County (west) * Ottawa County (northwest)

Major highways

* (

Ohio Turnpike The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh. The road runs east–west in the northern section of ...

) * (

) * * * * * * * * * * *

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 79,551 people, 31,727 households, and 21,764 families residing 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 312 people per square mile (121/km²). There were 35,909 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile (54/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.64%

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 ...

, 8.64%

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 ...

, 0.21% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.01%

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 ...

, 0.53% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. 2.09% 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. 35.7% were of

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 ...

, 9.2% Irish, 8.2%

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 ...

, 8.1% Italian, and 7.8%

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 ...

ancestry according to Census 2000. There were 31,727 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% 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, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.97. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $42,746, and the median income for a family was $51,756. Males had a median income of $39,249 versus $23,697 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 $21,530. About 6.00% of families and 8.30% 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 11.60% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over. In 2008, the Census Bureau announced that the county's population had declined to an estimated 77,323 by July 1, 2007.

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 77,079 people, 31,860 households, and 21,011 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,845 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 87.0% white, 8.6% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.7% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 38.8% were

, 15.2% were Irish, 11.7% were

, 8.5% were Italian, and 4.6% were

. Of the 31,860 households, 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.1% were non-families, and 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 43.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $46,593 and the median income for a family was $61,247. Males had a median income of $46,211 versus $32,621 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,290. About 8.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the

, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Patrick Shenigo (D) is the Chairman of the Erie County Commission, the highest elected position in the county. From 1992 to 2012, Erie County had been reliably Democratic. In 2016, however, it swung from a 12.3% margin for

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

to a 9.5% margin for

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

, tracking with Trump's unexpectedly strong showing in the Rust Belt.

County officials

Courthouse

Erie County's courthouse at 323 Columbus Avenue in Sandusky was built in 1872 by Cleveland architects Myer and Holmes in a richly ornamented Second Empire style. Most of the façade was remodeled beginning in 1936 in Art Deco in a WPA project led locally by architect Henry Millott. Some of the original façade remains visible around the bottom row of windows.Erie County Courthouse, Built in the 1870s
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Education

All or part of eleven school districts serve Erie County and its residents:
Bellevue City School District
includes parts of Bellevue and Groton Township.
Edison Local School District
includes parts of Berlin Heights and

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

, and

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, Perkins, and

Townships.
Firelands Local School District
includes parts of Florence Township.
Huron City School District
includes parts of

and

, and

Townships.
Kelleys Island Local School District
includes all of Kelleys Island.
Margaretta Local School District
includes parts of Bay View and

Castalia Castalia ( grc, Κασταλία), in Greek mythology, was a naiad-nymph, a daughter of Achelous who inhabited the Castalian spring in Delphi. In older traditions, Castalian spring already existed by the time Apollo came to Delphi searching for ...

, and Groton and Margaretta Townships.
Monroeville Local School District
includes parts of Oxford Township.
Perkins Local School District
includes parts of Groton,

, Margaretta,

, and Perkins Townships.
Sandusky Central Catholic Schools
includes Sandusky's three catholic Parishes (St. Mary's, Sts. Peter & Paul, and Holy Angels).
St. Peter's School
a private catholic elementary school in Huron
Sandusky City School District
includes all of Sandusky.
Vermilion Local School District
includes parts of

and

Townships.
Western Reserve Local School District
including parts of Florence Township.

Communities

Cities

* Bellevue (part) *

* Sandusky (county seat) *

(part)

Villages

* Bay View * Berlin Heights *

* Kelleys Island *

(part)

Townships

* Groton *

* Margaretta *

* Perkins *

https://web.archive.org/web/20160715023447/http://www.ohiotownships.org/township-websites

Census-designated places

* Beulah Beach * Crystal Rock * Mitiwanga * Whites Landing

Unincorporated communities

* Avery *

Axtel Axtel S.A.B. de C.V., known as Axtel, is a Mexican telecommunications company A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...

* Bloomingville * Bogart *

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

* Fairview Lanes *

* Ruggles Beach * Sandusky South

Places of interest

* Blue Hole * Cedar Point * Plum Brook Station * Thomas Alva Edison Birthplace

References

External links

Erie County Government's website
{{coord, 41.51, -82.61, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-OH_source:UScensus1990 1838 establishments in Ohio Populated places established in 1838 Ohio counties in the Western Reserve