Columbiana County, Ohio

Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is Lisbon and its largest city is Salem. Created in 1803, the county name is derived from that of 15th-century Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

Columbiana County comprises the Salem, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the larger Youngstown–Warren–Salem, OH Combined Statistical Area. Due to its location, Columbiana County is traditionally considered a part of Appalachian Ohio. While northern communities are more associated with Northeast Ohio, southern communities generally share more in common culturally with Greater Pittsburgh and the Upper Ohio Valley. The largely rural county sits midway between the two urban clusters. Officially considered part of the Youngstown media market, the Steubenville market media stations regularly report in the area as well.

History
The principal historic Native American peoples in the area were the Lenape, Mingo, and Wyandot. The Wyandot had an encampment where the city of Salem now stands. Several important indigenous trails ran through the county, the most important being the Great Trail which ran through the southern parts of the county towards Sandusky. Throughout the second half of the 18th century, starting with Christopher Gist in 1750, American colonists explored the area as the Ohio Company surveyed. George Washington, while engaged in land examinations, camped in the area of present-day East Liverpool in October 1770.

In the 1780s, the Native Americans relinquished control of the area, and the region was surveyed in accordance with the Land Ordinance of 1785. The ensuing Public Land Survey System of the United States started by surveyor Thomas Hutchins on north bank of the Ohio River in present-day East Liverpool resulted in the Seven Ranges, believed to be "the first mathematically designed system and nationally conducted cadastral survey in any modern country."

The first permanent settlement in the area was in 1792 or 1793, by hunter John Quinn, who settled near present-day Calcutta in St. Clair Township. Columbiana County was founded in 1803 and named in honor of Christopher Columbus, combining his surname with the suffix -iana. It was settled early on by Quakers and Scotch-Irish from Pennsylvania, but was later settled primary by Germans. The county was the scene of one of the northernmost action fought during the American Civil War; on July 26, 1863, Confederate raiders under John Morgan were surrounded and captured by Union forces at the Battle of Salineville.

The county was home to the largest pottery industry in the world, in East Liverpool & surrounding communities, which produced more than half of the United States' annual ceramics output. Throughout East Liverpool's ceramics history, there were more than 300 potteries. Other chief industries included iron and brick making, as well as transportation via the Ohio River, Sandy and Beaver Canal, and Pennsylvania Railroad system.

On February 3, 2023, a freight train containing hazardous materials including vinyl chloride derailed in East Palestine. After burning for more than two days, emergency crews conducted a controlled burn of the train's contents, releasing toxic hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the air, and contaminating the Ohio River.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 535 sqmi, of which 532 sqmi is land and 2.8 sqmi (0.5%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Mahoning County (north)
 * Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (northeast)
 * Beaver County, Pennsylvania (east)
 * Hancock County, West Virginia (southeast)
 * Jefferson County (south)
 * Carroll County (southwest)
 * Stark County (west)

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 112,075 people, 42,973 households, and 30,682 families residing in the county. The population density was 210 /mi2. There were 46,083 housing units at an average density of 86 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.43% White, 2.20% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.0% were of German, 12.9% English, 12.8% American, 12.3% Irish and 9.3% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 42,973 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.10% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 28.60% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,226, and the median income for a family was $40,486. Males had a median income of $32,134 versus $20,331 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,655. About 9.00% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.20% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 107,841 people, 42,683 households, and 29,101 families residing in the county. The population density was 202.7 PD/sqmi. There were 47,088 housing units at an average density of 88.5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.5% white, 2.2% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 29.2% were German, 17.7% were Irish, 14.6% were English, 9.1% were Italian, and 7.6% were American.

Of the 42,683 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.8% were non-families, and 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 42.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,502 and the median income for a family was $48,948. Males had a median income of $39,614 versus $27,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,635. About 12.1% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.6% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Unlike most counties in Northeast Ohio, Columbiana County has been predominantly Republican throughout most of its history. In only eight elections from 1856 to the present has a Democratic Party candidate won the county, the most recent being Bill Clinton in 1996. Despite this, the county was a swing county in the latter half of the 20th century, voting for the national winner in all but two elections from 1952 to 2004. However, it has trended heavily Republican in more recent elections, with the party's candidates garnering increasing amounts of the vote in each presidential election from 2000 on. This trend was most apparent in 2016 when Donald Trump posted the best showing by a Republican in the county since Herbert Hoover in 1928 with a 41.4-point margin of victory over Hillary Clinton.


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Colleges and universities

 * Allegheny Wesleyan College
 * Kent State University at East Liverpool
 * Kent State University at Salem

Community, junior, and technical colleges

 * Columbiana County Career and Technical Center
 * East Ohio College
 * New Castle School of Trades

Public school districts

 * Alliance City School District
 * Beaver Local School District
 * Columbiana Exempted Village School District
 * Crestview Local School District
 * East Liverpool City School District
 * East Palestine City School District
 * Leetonia Exempted Village School District
 * Lisbon Exempted Village School District
 * Minerva Local School District
 * Salem City School District
 * Southern Local School District
 * United Local School District
 * Wellsville Local School District
 * West Branch Local School District

High schools

 * Beaver Local High School
 * Columbiana High School
 * Crestview High School
 * David Anderson Junior/Senior High School
 * East Liverpool Junior/Senior High School
 * East Palestine High School
 * Leetonia High School
 * Salem High School
 * Southern Local Junior/Senior High School
 * United High School
 * Wellsville Junior/Senior High School

Private schools

 * Heartland Christian School – Columbiana
 * East Liverpool Christian School – Glenmoor
 * St. Paul Elementary School – Salem

Cities

 * Columbiana
 * East Liverpool
 * Salem

Villages

 * East Palestine
 * Hanoverton
 * Leetonia
 * Lisbon (county seat)
 * Minerva
 * New Waterford
 * Rogers
 * Salineville
 * Summitville
 * Washingtonville
 * Wellsville

Townships

 * Butler
 * Center
 * Elkrun
 * Fairfield
 * Franklin
 * Hanover
 * Knox
 * Liverpool
 * Madison
 * Middleton
 * Perry
 * Salem
 * St. Clair
 * Unity
 * Washington
 * Wayne
 * West
 * Yellow Creek

Census-designated places

 * Calcutta
 * Damascus
 * East Rochester
 * Glenmoor
 * Homeworth
 * La Croft
 * Lake Tomahawk
 * Negley
 * Salem Heights

Unincorporated communities

 * Achor
 * Bayard
 * Cannons Mill
 * Chambersburg
 * Clarkson
 * Dungannon
 * East Carmel
 * East Fairfield
 * Elkton
 * Franklin Square
 * Fredericktown
 * Gavers
 * Glasgow
 * Guilford
 * Highlandtown
 * Kensington
 * Lynchburg
 * Middleton
 * Mill Rock
 * Millport
 * Moultrie
 * New Alexander
 * New Garden
 * New Middleton
 * New Salisbury
 * North Georgetown
 * Reading
 * Signal
 * Teegarden
 * Unionville
 * Unity
 * Valley
 * West Point
 * Williamsport
 * Winona

Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Columbiana County.

* majority of municipality in Columbiana County ** minority of municipality in Columbiana County † county seat

Notable residents

 * Harvey Firestone, businessman and founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
 * William M. Fogo, Wisconsin legislator and newspaper editor
 * Mark Hanna, U.S. senator from Ohio; grew up in Lisbon
 * Ammon Hennacy, Christian anarchist; grew up in Negley
 * Lou Holtz, former college football coach; grew up in East Liverpool
 * Robert Justice, early Ohio statesman
 * Rich Karlis, former NFL placekicker for the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, from Salem, Ohio
 * William McKinley, 25th president of the United States; grew up in Lisbon
 * William Ralston, who founded the Bank of California and became for a time the richest man in California; born in Columbiana County
 * Clement Vallandigham, Copperhead leader; born and lived for several years in Lisbon
 * Derek Wolfe, former NFL defensive end for the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens; grew up in Negley