Gallia County, Ohio
County in Ohio, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gallia County (/ˈɡæliə/) is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,220.[3] Its county seat and largest village is Gallipolis.[4]
Gallia County, Ohio | |
|---|---|
Courthouse in Gallipolis | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Ohio | |
| Coordinates: 38°50′N 82°19′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Ohio |
| Founded | March 25, 1803[1] |
| Named after | the Latin name for France |
| Seat | Gallipolis |
| Largest village | Gallipolis |
| Area | |
• Total | 471 sq mi (1,220 km2) |
| • Land | 467 sq mi (1,210 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 1.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 29,220 |
28,886  | |
| • Density | 62/sq mi (24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Named after the French people who originally settled there,[5] its name “Gallia” is the Latin word for Gaul, the ancient region of Western Europe that included present day France.[6] Gallia County is part of the Point Pleasant, WV-OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Gallia County was formed on March 25, 1803, from portions of Adams and Washington counties. Gallia County had originally been settled by French immigrants, who named the county "Gallia", the Latin name for Gaul, the ancient region of Western Europe which included present day France.[7]
In the 19th century, the county was settled by numerous migrants from the Upper South, who traveled to the territory by the Ohio River. In the antebellum years, some of its towns became centers of settlement by African Americans, both free blacks (some also from the South) and refugee slaves who had escaped their owners and come across the river to a free state.
In 1818, a group from Wales settled in Gallia County, with Welsh remaining Gallia County's most common second language until 1970.[8]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 471 square miles (1,220 km2), of which 467 square miles (1,210 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (1.0%) is water.[9]
Adjacent counties
- Vinton County (north)
- Meigs County (northeast)
- Mason County, West Virginia (east)
- Cabell County, West Virginia (south)
- Lawrence County (southwest)
- Jackson County (northwest)
National protected area
- Wayne National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1810 | 4,181 | — | |
| 1820 | 7,098 | 69.8% | |
| 1830 | 9,733 | 37.1% | |
| 1840 | 13,444 | 38.1% | |
| 1850 | 17,063 | 26.9% | |
| 1860 | 22,043 | 29.2% | |
| 1870 | 25,545 | 15.9% | |
| 1880 | 28,124 | 10.1% | |
| 1890 | 27,005 | −4.0% | |
| 1900 | 27,918 | 3.4% | |
| 1910 | 25,745 | −7.8% | |
| 1920 | 23,311 | −9.5% | |
| 1930 | 23,050 | −1.1% | |
| 1940 | 24,930 | 8.2% | |
| 1950 | 24,910 | −0.1% | |
| 1960 | 26,120 | 4.9% | |
| 1970 | 25,239 | −3.4% | |
| 1980 | 30,098 | 19.3% | |
| 1990 | 30,954 | 2.8% | |
| 2000 | 31,069 | 0.4% | |
| 2010 | 30,934 | −0.4% | |
| 2020 | 29,220 | −5.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 28,886 | | −1.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2020 [3] 2024[2] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 29,220. The median age was 41.5 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.9 males age 18 and over.[14]
The racial makeup of the county was 92.6% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 0.9% of the population.[15]
19.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 80.4% lived in rural areas.[16]
There were 11,665 households in the county, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.8% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 13,430 housing units, of which 13.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.1% were owner-occupied and 28.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%.[14]
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[17] | Pop 1990[18] | Pop 2000[19] | Pop 2010[20] | Pop 2020[21] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 28,813 | 29,727 | 29,458 | 29,150 | 26,955 | 95.73% | 96.04% | 94.81% | 94.23% | 92.25% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 906 | 856 | 834 | 800 | 597 | 3.01% | 2.77% | 2.68% | 2.59% | 2.04% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 66 | 72 | 131 | 108 | 55 | 0.22% | 0.23% | 0.42% | 0.35% | 0.19% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 108 | 133 | 110 | 139 | 148 | 0.36% | 0.43% | 0.35% | 0.45% | 0.51% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [22] | x [23] | 0 | 0 | 5 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 16 | 10 | 22 | 16 | 79 | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.07% | 0.05% | 0.27% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [24] | x [25] | 323 | 446 | 1,119 | x | x | 1.04% | 1.44% | 3.83% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 189 | 156 | 191 | 275 | 262 | 0.63% | 0.50% | 0.61% | 0.89% | 0.90% |
| Total | 30,098 | 30,954 | 31,069 | 30,934 | 29,220 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 30,934 people, 12,062 households, and 8,264 families living in the county.[26] The population density was 66.3 inhabitants per square mile (25.6/km2). There were 13,925 housing units at an average density of 29.8 units per square mile (11.5 units/km2).[27] The racial makeup of the county was 94.7% white, 2.6% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population.[26] In terms of ancestry, 18.6% were American, 15.9% were German, 15.6% were Irish, and 8.0% were English.[28]
Of the 12,062 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.5% were non-families, and 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 39.9 years.[26]
The median income for a household in the county was $37,409 and the median income for a family was $46,470. Males had a median income of $39,301 versus $30,068 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,199. About 15.8% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.7% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.[29]
2000 census
As of the census[30] of 2000, there were 31,069 people, 12,060 households, and 8,586 families living in the county. The population density was 66 inhabitants per square mile (25/km2). There were 13,498 housing units at an average density of 29 units per square mile (11/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.26% White, 2.70% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 12,060 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 13.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,191, and the median income for a family was $35,938. Males had a median income of $31,783 versus $22,829 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,183. About 13.50% of families and 18.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.20% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Gallia County has been a Republican stronghold ever since that party was formed. Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 landslide is the solitary Democrat to win a majority of the county's vote in the presidential election, although James Buchanan in 1856 and Bill Clinton in 1996 won a plurality.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 10,314 | 79.13% | 2,592 | 19.89% | 128 | 0.98% |
| 2020 | 10,645 | 77.14% | 2,990 | 21.67% | 164 | 1.19% |
| 2016 | 9,822 | 75.53% | 2,628 | 20.21% | 554 | 4.26% |
| 2012 | 7,750 | 61.40% | 4,557 | 36.10% | 315 | 2.50% |
| 2008 | 8,247 | 61.68% | 4,777 | 35.73% | 347 | 2.60% |
| 2004 | 8,576 | 61.29% | 5,366 | 38.35% | 51 | 0.36% |
| 2000 | 7,511 | 58.79% | 4,872 | 38.13% | 393 | 3.08% |
| 1996 | 5,135 | 41.19% | 5,386 | 43.21% | 1,945 | 15.60% |
| 1992 | 5,776 | 42.04% | 5,350 | 38.94% | 2,612 | 19.01% |
| 1988 | 7,399 | 59.92% | 4,834 | 39.14% | 116 | 0.94% |
| 1984 | 8,194 | 65.27% | 4,251 | 33.86% | 109 | 0.87% |
| 1980 | 6,469 | 56.73% | 4,406 | 38.64% | 529 | 4.64% |
| 1976 | 5,198 | 50.38% | 4,971 | 48.18% | 148 | 1.43% |
| 1972 | 6,506 | 72.40% | 2,341 | 26.05% | 139 | 1.55% |
| 1968 | 5,134 | 58.10% | 2,660 | 30.10% | 1,042 | 11.79% |
| 1964 | 4,408 | 48.19% | 4,740 | 51.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 7,602 | 68.49% | 3,498 | 31.51% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 7,040 | 70.99% | 2,877 | 29.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 6,763 | 68.20% | 3,153 | 31.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 5,743 | 62.38% | 3,430 | 37.25% | 34 | 0.37% |
| 1944 | 6,464 | 68.53% | 2,968 | 31.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 7,285 | 64.88% | 3,943 | 35.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 6,700 | 59.42% | 4,548 | 40.34% | 27 | 0.24% |
| 1932 | 5,646 | 56.45% | 4,190 | 41.89% | 166 | 1.66% |
| 1928 | 5,513 | 73.42% | 1,916 | 25.52% | 80 | 1.07% |
| 1924 | 4,325 | 61.21% | 2,284 | 32.32% | 457 | 6.47% |
| 1920 | 5,388 | 67.40% | 2,562 | 32.05% | 44 | 0.55% |
| 1916 | 2,860 | 54.71% | 2,277 | 43.55% | 91 | 1.74% |
| 1912 | 1,355 | 25.23% | 1,765 | 32.87% | 2,250 | 41.90% |
| 1908 | 3,914 | 63.48% | 2,171 | 35.21% | 81 | 1.31% |
| 1904 | 3,880 | 67.51% | 1,742 | 30.31% | 125 | 2.18% |
| 1900 | 4,159 | 62.82% | 2,388 | 36.07% | 73 | 1.10% |
| 1896 | 4,247 | 63.66% | 2,369 | 35.51% | 55 | 0.82% |
| 1892 | 3,547 | 61.99% | 1,984 | 34.67% | 191 | 3.34% |
| 1888 | 3,651 | 61.33% | 2,216 | 37.22% | 86 | 1.44% |
| 1884 | 3,690 | 60.67% | 2,333 | 38.36% | 59 | 0.97% |
| 1880 | 3,488 | 59.92% | 2,310 | 39.68% | 23 | 0.40% |
| 1876 | 3,202 | 58.07% | 2,302 | 41.75% | 10 | 0.18% |
| 1872 | 2,855 | 64.40% | 1,553 | 35.03% | 25 | 0.56% |
| 1868 | 2,678 | 62.31% | 1,620 | 37.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 2,828 | 70.75% | 1,169 | 29.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 1,881 | 52.54% | 1,472 | 41.12% | 227 | 6.34% |
| 1856 | 610 | 19.32% | 1,341 | 42.48% | 1,206 | 38.20% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 9,316 | 73.22% | 2,912 | 22.89% | 496 | 3.90% |
Communities
Villages
- Centerville
- Cheshire
- Crown City
- Gallipolis (county seat)
- Rio Grande
- Vinton
