Hardin County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,696. Its county seat and largest city is Kenton. The county was created in 1820 and later organized in 1833. It is named for John Hardin, an officer in the American Revolution.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 471 square miles (1,220 km), of which 470 square miles (1,200 km) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km) (0.1%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Hancock County (north)
• Wyandot County (northeast)
• Marion County (east)
• Union County (southeast)
• Logan County (south)
• Auglaize County (southwest)
• Allen County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	22		—
1830	210		854.5%
1840	4,598		2,089.5%
1850	8,251		79.4%
1860	13,570		64.5%
1870	18,714		37.9%
1880	27,023		44.4%
1890	28,939		7.1%
1900	31,187		7.8%
1910	30,407		−2.5%
1920	29,167		−4.1%
1930	27,635		−5.3%
1940	27,061		−2.1%
1950	28,673		6.0%
1960	29,633		3.3%
1970	30,813		4.0%
1980	32,719		6.2%
1990	31,111		−4.9%
2000	31,945		2.7%
2010	32,058		0.4%
2020	30,696		−4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2020

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 31,945 people, 11,963 households and 8,134 families living in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile (26 people/km). There were 12,907 housing units at an average density of 27 units per square mile (10/km). The racial makeup of the county was 97.54% White, 0.70% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.9% spoke English and 1.4% German as their first language.

There were 11,963 households, of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 26.50% 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 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

24.30% of the population were under the age of 18, 15.40% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median household income was $34,440 and the median family income was $42,395. Males had a median income of $33,393 compared with $21,695 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,200. About 8.90% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.20% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 32,058 people, 11,762 households, and 7,950 families living in the county. The population density was 68.1 inhabitants per square mile (26.3/km). There were 13,100 housing units at an average density of 27.8 per square mile (10.7/km). The racial makeup of the county was 96.7% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.6% 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 1.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 33.0% were German, 15.1% were Irish, 13.2% were American, and 9.6% were English.

Of the 11,762 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.4% were non-families, and 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 34.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,343 and the median income for a family was $55,274. Males had a median income of $41,191 versus $32,313 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,100. About 9.6% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Hardin County is a Republican Party stronghold. The last Democrat to win the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1964 landslide.

United States presidential election results for Hardin County, Ohio

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	9,949	75.10%	3,062	23.11%	236	1.78%
2016	8,717	70.56%	2,920	23.64%	717	5.80%
2012	7,489	60.06%	4,619	37.04%	362	2.90%
2008	7,749	58.93%	5,013	38.12%	387	2.94%
2004	8,441	63.03%	4,891	36.52%	60	0.45%
2000	7,124	59.03%	4,557	37.76%	387	3.21%
1996	5,506	46.36%	4,930	41.51%	1,440	12.13%
1992	5,851	44.28%	4,364	33.02%	3,000	22.70%
1988	7,291	62.82%	4,145	35.71%	170	1.46%
1984	8,722	69.11%	3,813	30.21%	85	0.67%
1980	7,457	61.51%	3,863	31.87%	803	6.62%
1976	6,076	54.86%	4,650	41.99%	349	3.15%
1972	8,713	69.14%	3,535	28.05%	354	2.81%
1968	6,963	53.82%	4,180	32.31%	1,794	13.87%
1964	5,679	43.67%	7,324	56.33%	0	0.00%
1960	9,042	64.41%	4,996	35.59%	0	0.00%
1956	9,049	66.51%	4,556	33.49%	0	0.00%
1952	9,235	64.58%	5,064	35.42%	0	0.00%
1948	7,441	57.38%	5,474	42.21%	52	0.40%
1944	8,566	62.55%	5,128	37.45%	0	0.00%
1940	9,192	58.40%	6,547	41.60%	0	0.00%
1936	7,631	46.86%	8,441	51.84%	211	1.30%
1932	7,215	44.86%	8,717	54.20%	152	0.95%
1928	8,137	60.20%	5,306	39.25%	74	0.55%
1924	7,112	53.66%	5,523	41.67%	619	4.67%
1920	8,071	57.64%	5,817	41.54%	115	0.82%
1916	4,119	48.08%	4,304	50.24%	144	1.68%
1912	2,775	33.22%	3,912	46.83%	1,667	19.95%
1908	4,444	50.35%	4,164	47.17%	219	2.48%
1904	4,736	57.36%	3,096	37.50%	424	5.14%
1900	4,389	50.07%	4,190	47.80%	187	2.13%
1896	4,276	49.50%	4,247	49.16%	116	1.34%
1892	3,515	47.71%	3,483	47.28%	369	5.01%
1888	3,611	49.54%	3,339	45.81%	339	4.65%
1884	3,647	51.09%	3,373	47.25%	119	1.67%
1880	3,472	53.11%	3,032	46.38%	33	0.50%
1876	2,830	50.98%	2,702	48.68%	19	0.34%
1872	2,238	53.08%	1,970	46.73%	8	0.19%
1868	1,884	51.62%	1,766	48.38%	0	0.00%
1864	1,640	52.92%	1,459	47.08%	0	0.00%
1860	1,432	52.72%	1,198	44.11%	86	3.17%
1856	1,091	53.09%	882	42.92%	82	3.99%

Airports

Ada Airport (FAA LID: 0D7) is a privately owned, public-use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northwest of the central business district of Ada, a village in Hardin County.

Hardin County Airport (FAA LID: I95) is the largest paved facility and is located 3 miles south of Kenton, Ohio on CR 135. The runway is 4,803 feet long at an elevation of 1,030 feet. Maintenance, fuel and storage are available.

Major highways

Science

Currently, there is a working Artesian aquifer operating in the county.

Media

Two newspapers, the daily The Kenton Times of Kenton and the weekly The Ada Herald of Ada, operate in Hardin County.

Radio stations include WKTN of Kenton and WOHA of Ada, a radio station owned by Holy Family Communications.

WOCB-LP TV48 is a local Christian television station in downtown Kenton covering channels 39.1-39.4.

Communities

City

• Kenton (county seat)

Villages

Townships

Census-designated place

• Dola

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

• Nehemiah Green, fourth Governor of Kansas

From Kenton

• James S. Robinson, Civil War General and Secretary of State for Ohio
• John R. Goodin, Democratic congressman from Kansas
• William Lawrence, Republican congressman involved with the attempt to impeach Andrew Johnson
• Jacob Parrott, first recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Paul Robinson, creator of the long-running "Etta Kett" comic strip for King Features Syndicate

From Ada

• Rollo May, an American existential psychologist
• Lee Tressel, football coach, father of former Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel
• John Berton, award-winning computer graphics animator and visual effects supervisor.
• Carey Orr, cartoonist.

From Alger

• Ray Brown — Homestead Grays pitcher

From Dunkirk

• Willard Rhodes, ethnomusicologist (1901–1992)
• Dean Pees, NFL coach

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Ohio