Athens County, Ohio


 * This article is about the county in Ohio. For other uses, see 

Athens County is a located in the southeastern part of the  of,. It was formed in from. As of 2000, the population was 62,223. Its is. Because the state university was founded there in 1804, the town and the county were  for the ancient center of learning,,.

Government
Main article: 

Geography
According to the, the county has a total area of 1,317 (509 ). 1,312 km² (507 sq mi) of it is land and 5 km² (2 sq mi) of it (0.35%) is water.

Athens County is located in the region of Ohio. It features steep, rugged hills, with typical relief of 150 to 400 feet, deeply dissected by stream valleys, many of them remnant from the ancient drainage system. Most of Athens County is within the watershed, with smaller areas in the  and  watersheds. The Hocking River joins the at the unincorporated village of Hockingport in Athens County.

Adjacent counties

 * (north)
 * (northeast)
 * (east)
 * (southeast)
 * (south)
 * (west)
 * (northwest)

Economy
The largest employer in Athens County is. Other significant employers include Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare,, Diagnostic Hybrids, O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Rocky Outdoor Gear, Wayne National Forest, and a growing number of retail stores and restaurants. Local government, local school districts, and nonprofit organizations employ many county residents.

Historically, the first large-scale industry was salt production. Coal mining and timber harvesting played major roles in Athens County's economy, as did the treatment and care of the mentally ill.

The coal industry has declined dramatically from its peak years. Only Buckingham Coal is still mining in the county, in Trimble Township north of Glouster. Gravel and limestone are mined at several quarries in the county. Active oil and natural gas wells are found in low numbers throughout Athens County.

Forestry still contributes to the Athens County economy, both in the private sector and in the public sector. The headquarters for Wayne National Forest is located between Athens and Nelsonville.

Farming and market gardening continue to thrive in the area. The largest farms specialize in beef and dairy production. The Athens Farmers Market, an outdoor market, continues to grow in popularity. Local and organically grown produce is found in abundance during the summer months.

Also, tourism is a large and growing component of the county's economy. The county is a regional music center and home to many arts and crafts businesses. Many visitors to the county are drawn to its natural resources and abundant wildlife. Hunting and fishing are popular activities in season. The county has over 19 miles of paved bike path in and between Athens and Nelsonville. Hiking and mountain biking are popular throughout the county, especially in the state parks and national forest.

Higher education remains the cornerstone of the county's economy. Over one-quarter of the county's residents either attend or work at Hocking College or Ohio University.

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The was 47/km² (123/sq mi). There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (49/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 93.48%, 2.39% or , 0.28% , 1.90% , 0.02% , 0.36% from , and 1.56% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were or  of any race.

There were 22,501 households out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.50% were living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.50% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county the population was spread out with 18.30% under the age of 18, 30.70% from 18 to 24, 23.70% from 25 to 44, 18.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,322, and the median income for a family was $39,785. Males had a median income of $30,776 versus $23,905 for females. The for the county was $14,171. About 14.00% of families and 27.40% of the population were below the, including 21.20% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

Colleges and universities
Athens County is home to in Nelsonville and  in the city of Athens.

schools
The residents of Athens County are served by the five school districts: the, , the , , and the.

Libraries
They are also served by the with branches in, , , , , , and.

Media

 * News publications:
 * The Athens Messenger, a daily paper published by the, which also publishes a weekly tabloid named the Athens Insider
 * The Athens News, a free semiweekly tabloid
 * The Post, the student newspaper of
 * The Spire, the student newspaper of, is published on an occasional basis


 * Noncommercial Television:
 * , 20 and 27-HD ( affiliate, Ohio University, Athens)


 * Noncommercial Radio:
 * WEAK-FM, 106.7, (Low Power FM, Athens)
 * WOUB-FM, 91.3(NPR affiliate, Ohio University, Athens)
 * WOUB-AM, 1340 (NPR affiliate, Ohio University, Athens)


 * Commercial Radio:
 * WXTQ-FM, 105.5 (Athens)
 * WJKW-FM, 95.9 (Athens)
 * WATH-AM, 970 (Athens)
 * WSEO-FM, 107.7 (Nelsonville)
 * WAIS-AM, 770 (Nelsonville)

Federal Lands

 * Belleville Lock and Dam Public Access Area (Troy Township)
 * Tom Jenkins Dam (at, Trimble Township)
 * (Dover, York, Trimble, Canaan Townships)

County Properties

 * Frost Park