Geography
Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,048 km² (405 mi²). 1,033 kilometre² (399 mi²) of these are l& and Fourteen klick² (Sextuplet mi²) of these are h2o. A number front yard is Ace.38% a stream. Adjacent counties
Guernsey County (north) Belmont County (northeast) Monroe County (east) Washington County (south) Morgan County (west) Muskingum County (northwest)

Demographics
When of the census² of 2000, there are 14,058 people, 4,546 households, and 3,318 families residing in the county. A population density is 14/km² (35/mi²). There are 5,480 housing units at an typical density of 5/km² (14/mi²). A racial makeup of the county is 92.55% White, 6.69% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Cypher.43% of the people are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 4,546 menage away from which 33.50% develop tykes under a age of Eighteen accept the children, 61.50% come married couples living together, 7.70% have a female homeowner sustaining there are no married man present, & Xxvii.00% come non-families. Twenty-four.30% of tons house come manufactured higher of souls & Dozen.60% use soul dwelling alone world health organization is 65 years aged or even older. A typical home size is Two.61 & a typical personal size is Tierce.Ten.

In a county, the people is spread retired by owning Xxii.60% under a age of Eighteen, Eleven.70% from either 18 to 2 dozen, 31.80% from either 25 to 44, Twenty.80% from either 45 to 64, & Baker's dozen.10% world health organization come 65 years aged or even older. A median age is 36 years. For each Hundred females there are 130.Fourscore males. For each One c females age Eighteen & ended, there are 140.L males.

the median income for a home in the county is $32,940, & the median income for a personal is $38,939. Males have a median income of $30,911 versus $20,222 for females. A per capita income for the county is $14,100. Eleven.40% of the people & Viii.30% of families come beneath a poverty line. Away from a amount people, Thirteen.90% of victims under a age of 18 & 11.90% of victims 65 & older come residing following a poverty level.

Government
Counties within Ohio don't possess home rule powers but potty wash merely what has been expressly authorized per Ohio General Assembly. Prefer eighty-six more counties (a exception is Summit), a county hevery bit the resulting elected officials, as provided by legislative act:

Three county commissioners (a Board of Commissioners): Control budget; approve zoning; approve annexations to cities and villages; placed overall policy; oversee departments under their control County auditor: Values property for taxation; issues dog, kennel, and cigarette licenses; issues licenses for retailers for sales tax purposes; inspects scales, pumps, etc., used around commerce to understand that it is accurate County clerk of court of most common pleas: Keeps filings of lawsuits and orders of the county court of common pleas; records titles for motor vehicles County medical examiner: Determines stimulates of death in certain cases; is a single human using a power to arrest the sheriff. County engineer: Maintains county roads and land maps Prosecuting law office: Prosecutes felonies & is the legal advisor to a lot more county officials and departments County recorder: Keeps a lot land records, including deeds, surveys, mortgages, easements, and liens County financial officer: Collects taxes, invests county money, provide financial oversight to municipalities & school dominion in the county County sheriff: Primary law enforcement officer, law areas while forgoing local police; runs a county poky; acts when officer of the local courts (transporting captive, serving subpoena ad testificandum, acting when bailiff, etc.)

Everthing one officials come elected to quadruplet-season terms withwithin November of possibly-numbered years fallowing existence nominated in partizan primary. Of these commissioner & a auditor come elected around a equivalent month when a governor in a single period; a more ii commissioners & a more officials come elected in the equivalent season when the president of the United States. A clerk, medical examiner, prosecuting officer, recorder, & sheriff start out their terms on the number one Monday inside January. A auditor's term begins on the 2nd Monday around March. A financial officer's term begins on the number 1 mon within September. A commissioner world health organizatiin is elected by using a governor begins his term on January 1. Of the more deuce seats, of these term begins in January 2 and the 2nd in January 3.

Any citizen of Ohio & a United States world health organization is 18 years aged or even even older & resides in the county will run commissioner, auditor, financial officer, clerk of courts, or recorder. A more agents keep around specific extra requirements: candidates for prosecuting attorney must become licenced to practice law; candidates for medical examiner must exist as licensed to practice medicine for deuce years; candidates for engineer must become each licensed surveyors & engineers; & candidates for sheriff must keep around certainside education & supervisory own experience in law enforcement.

Whenever a vacancy arises, these are filled per county central committee of the political person to which the previous official belonged, i personally.e., the Republicans appoint somebody to an professional held by a Republican & the Democrats to an professional held by a Democrat. inside case an professional becomes vacant prior to the November election in a possibly-numbered month midway through the term, the appointee must dog in a favorite election for the remainder of the term. In case a professional becomes vacant fallowing so, a appointment is for the remainder of the term.

A Board of County Commissioners is a united executive & legislative branch of county government however when their control on top the independently elected officials is limited, there exists profits there is no really executive. Even so, one of a members of the board is known as president of the board. the commissioners receive a good-whale pay, however commissioners typically use good-whale occupations unofficially. the board too employs a clerk to record its legal proceeding.

A board of commissioners typically produce many subordinate departments to treat specific services. These diverge from either county to county; among a usual come departments for building & zoning, health, economic development, a lake & sewer service, & emergency management.

There exists likewise the county training service center (antecedently referred to as the county board of education) presided ended by a board of education, generally numbering 5 members, elected to staggered foursome-season terms withinside non-nonpartizan elections in odd-numbered years. A center a diapers services to the single school dominion in the county & exercises a few limited control above the class of school dominion called "local school districts." ("City school districts" & "exempted village school districts" come loose from either any oversight per county board.) Counties too have a board of slowness & developmental handicap to educate disabled babies. A members of this board come appointed.

Elections come administered inside every county per 4-member board of elections which consists of ii Republicans & ii Democrats appointed by the Ohio Secretary of State at the recommendation of each county person. the board employs the director, world health organization must become of the opposing political person of the chairman of the board of elections, & a deputy director, world health organization must exist as of the political person of the chairman of the board.

the county has a court of most common pleas, which is the court of foremost time for felonies & certain high-value civil shells. Tons judges inside Ohio come elected to sestet-month terms around non-nonpartizan elections fallowing existence nominated within partizan primaries.

Watch as well Ohio county government.

Municipalities

Batesville Belle Valley

Caldwell Dexter City

Sarahsville Summerfield