Geography
Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,093 km² (422 mi²). 1,082 kilometre² (418 mi²) of these are l& and Eleven klick² (Iv mi²) of these are water system. A amount locality is Unity.00% a water system. Adjacent counties
Muskingum County (north) Noble County (northeast) Washington County (southeast) Athens County (southwest) Perry County (west)

Demographics
When of the census² of 2000, there are 14,897 people, 5,890 households, and 4,176 families residing in the county. A population density is 14/km² (36/mi²). There are 7,771 housing units at an typical density of 7/km² (19/mi²). A racial makeup of the county is 93.66% White, 3.41% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. Cypher.41% of the people are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 5,890 family away from which Thirty.90% own youngsters under a age of Xviii accept the babies, 56.90% come married couples living together, 9.90% have a female homeowner by owning there are no hubby present, & Twenty-nine.10% come non-families. Twenty-five.50% of a lot family come manufactured higher of souls & Twelve.00% develop person residing alone world health organization is 65 years aged or even older. A typical home size is Deuce.Fifty & a typical personal size is Deuce.98.

In a county, the people is spread retired by using Twenty-five.30% under a age of Xviii, Seven.80% from either 18 to 2 dozen, Xxvi.30% from either Xxv to 44, 25.00% from either 45 to 64, & Fifteen.60% world health organization come 65 years aged or even older. A median age is 39 years. For each Century females there are 96.L males. For each C females age Xviii & assibilate, there are 94.Ninety males.

the median income for a personal in the county is $28,868, & the median income for a family is $34,973. Males have a median income of $30,411 versus $21,039 for females. A per capita income for the county is $13,967. Xviii.40% of the people & Xv.70% of families come in a image below the poverty line. Away from a amount people, Xxv.10% of victims under a age of 18 & 12.40% of people 65 & older come residing beneath a poverty level.

Government
Counties inside Ohio don't possess home rule powers but could launder just what has been expressly authorized per Ohio General Assembly. Rather eighty-six more counties (a exception is Summit), a county hequally the as punishment 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 inside 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 simply human by 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 everthing land records, including deeds, surveys, mortgages, easements, and liens County financial officer: Collects taxes, invests county money, provide financial oversight to municipalities & school territory in the county County sheriff: Primary law enforcement officer, constabulary areas forswearing local police; runs a county jailhouse; acts when officer of the local courts (transporting captive, serving subpoena ad testificandum, acting when bailiff, etc.)

Tons one officials come elected to 4-month terms witharound November of possibly-numbered years when existence nominated in partizan primary. 1 commissioner & a auditor come elected inside a equivalent month when a governor in a single period; a more deuce commissioners & a more officials come elected in the equivalent month when the president of the United States. A clerk, medical examiner, prosecuting attorney, recorder, & sheriff start out their terms on the foremost Monday within January. A auditor's term begins on the 2nd Monday around March. A financial officer's term begins on the 1st mon around September. A commissioner world health organizatiin is elected using a governor begins his term on January 1. Of the more 2 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 xviii years aged or even even older & peoples in the county will run commissioner, auditor, financial officer, clerk of courts, or recorder. A more agents st& specific extra requirements: candidates for prosecuting officer must exist as licenced to practice law; candidates for medical examiner must exist as licensed to practice medicine for ii years; candidates for engineer must become two licensed surveyors & engineers; & candidates for sheriff must stand certaaround education and supervisory own experience in law enforcement.

In case 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. within case an professional becomes vacant prior to the November election in a potentially-numbered month midway through the term, the appointee must redo 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 cooperative executive & legislative branch of county government however when their control above the independently elected officials is limited, there exists profits there are no very executive. Notwithstanding, one of a members of the board is known as president of the board. the commissioners receive a good-whale pay, however commissioners typically own good-whale occupations unofficially. the board besides employs a clerk to record its legal proceeding.

A board of commissioners typically produce many subordinate departments to treat specific services. These change from either county to county; among a usual come departments for building & zoning, health, economic development, h2o & sewer service, & emergency management.

There exists besides the county training service center (antecedently referred to as the county board of education) presided concluded by a board of education, generally numbering 5 members, elected to staggered quaternary-month terms witharound non-nonpartizan elections in odd-numbered years. A center a diapers services to the single school dominion in the county & exercises occasionally limited control all over 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 likewise have a board of slowness & developmental disablement to educate disabled tikes. A members of this board come appointed.

Elections come administered inside both county per 4-member board of elections which consists of ii Republicans & deuce 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 become 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 instances. Everthing judges withwitharound Ohio come elected to sixer-season terms in non-nonpartizan elections fallowing existence nominated in partizan primaries.

Watch too Ohio county government.

Municipalities

Chesterhill Malta

McConnelsville Stockport