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Lake County, Ohio

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Lake County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 232,603.[2] Its county seat is Painesville, and its largest city is Mentor.

Lake County
County
Lake County Courthouse
Lake County Courthouse
Flag of Lake County
Flag
Official seal of Lake County
Seal
Official logo of Lake County
Logo
Map of Ohio highlighting Lake County
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Map of the United States highlighting Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°49′N 81°14′W / 41.82°N 81.24°W / 41.82; -81.24
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedMarch 6, 1840[1]
Named forLake Erie
SeatPainesville
Largest cityMentor
Area
 • Total
979 sq mi (2,540 km2)
 • Land227 sq mi (590 km2)
 • Water752 sq mi (1,950 km2)  77%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
232,603
 • Estimate 
(2023)
231,640 Decrease
 • Density240/sq mi (92/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district14th
Websitewww.lakecountyohio.gov

The county was established on March 6, 1840, from land given by Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. Its name is derived from its location on the southern shore of Lake Erie and the fact that the majority of the county’s land lies beneath Lake Erie.[3][4] Lake County is part of the Cleveland, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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The land that became Lake County was home to the indigenous Erie people prior to the arrival of the French in the region during the early 1600s and was considered by the French to be part of their Colony of New France. After France's defeat in the Seven Years' War in 1763, France ceded the area to Great Britain, and the area became part of the Province of Quebec through the Quebec Act of 1774. Following the American Revolutionary War, it became part of the Connecticut Western Reserve in the Northwest Territory, then was purchased by the Connecticut Land Company in 1795. It was separated out of Geauga County in March 1840.

Although today the county is mostly suburban, Lake County was once known as a rural country retreat for wealthy Cleveland residents. During the early 1900s, many wealthy families in Cleveland maintained large estates in the county for use as their summer homes.[5][6][7]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 979 square miles (2,540 km2), of which 227 square miles (590 km2) is land and 752 square miles (1,950 km2) (77%) is water.[8] It is Ohio's smallest county by land area but the third-largest by total area, with said area owing to land beneath the lake (which is owned by the county).

The county’s coast line along Lake Erie spans 31 miles. Additionally, Lake County has an international border with Ontario (across Lake Erie).

Adjacent counties

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Physical geography

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Ridges on the Lake Plain physiographic region, and on which some roads are laid, are beaches formed by the various glacial lakes which occurred as the glaciers receded.[9] Lake Maumee was the highest glacial lake at about 760 feet, and left Maumee II beach. Whittlesey beach, formed by Lake Whittlesey at 740 feet, is known as South Ridge. Arkona beach (Lake Arkona) is Middle Ridge, and occurs at about 690 feet. North Ridge is the remnant of Warren beach (Lake Warren), at an elevation of 685 feet. Elkton beach is the northernmost ridge, at 625 feet, an occurred at the time of Lake Elkton. Lake Shore Boulevard follows Elkton beach in Mentor Township.

Mentor Marsh, an abandoned channel of the Grand River, is an Ohio State Nature Preserve.[10]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
184013,719—
185014,6546.8%
186015,5766.3%
187015,9352.3%
188016,3262.5%
189018,23511.7%
190021,68018.9%
191022,9275.8%
192028,66725.0%
193041,67445.4%
194050,02020.0%
195075,97951.9%
1960148,70095.7%
1970197,20032.6%
1980212,8017.9%
1990215,4991.3%
2000227,5115.6%
2010230,0411.1%
2020232,6031.1%
2023 (est.)231,640[11]−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2020[2]

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, Lake County had 232,603 people living in 105,315 households. The racial makeup of the county was 84.7% white (not Hispanic or Latino), 4.7% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% from other races, and 5.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were German, 18.0% were Irish, 15.3% were Italian, 9.8% were English, and 6.8% were Polish.

33.0% of the adult population has a Bachelor's Degree or higher, slightly above the 32.0% rate for Ohio as a whole.[16]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 230,041 people, 94,156 households, and 62,384 families residing in the county.[17] The population density was 1,011.2 inhabitants per square mile (390.4/km2). There were 101,202 housing units at an average density of 444.9 units per square mile (171.8 units/km2).[18] The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% white, 3.2% black or African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population.[17] In terms of ancestry, 26.4% were German, 18.9% were Irish, 16.4% were Italian, 11.5% were English, 7.6% were Polish, 5.4% were Hungarian, and 3.9% were American.[19]

Of the 94,156 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.7% were non-families, and 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 42.3 years.[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $54,896 and the median income for a family was $67,206. Males had a median income of $49,240 versus $36,906 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,221. About 6.0% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.[20]

In 2010, 92.4% spoke English, 2.7% Spanish, and 1.4% Croatian.[21]

Environment

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Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light, Fairport Harbor viewed from the Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve

Scorecard’s 2002[22] report ranks Lake County among the worst 10% of counties in the U.S. in terms of cancer risk, developmental and reproductive toxicants, and other categories as well. This rating is comparable with most major cities and densely populated areas. In 2004, Scorecard[22] ranked the county among the cleanest or best 10% of all counties in the U.S. in terms of the number of designated Superfund sites.

Lake County has a large public park system, including Lake Metroparks Farmpark. Kirtland is home to the Holden Arboretum and Gildersleeve Mountain. Headlands Beach State Park is in Mentor. The Grand River is a state wild and scenic river, and the Chagrin River is a state scenic river.

Transportation

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Laketran is the transit agency that serves Lake County, providing bus service throughout the county and to downtown Cleveland. It is the third-largest transit system in Northeast Ohio.[23] In 2023, the system had a ridership of 629,500, or about 2,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

Lake County Executive Airport, formerly known as Lost Nation Airport, is a public use airport located in Willoughby.

Interstate 90 runs northeast–southwest through Lake County, roughly parallel to State Route 2; along with the north–south State Route 44 connects the two together. These freeways make up the major traffic arteries in the county.

Lake County does not have passenger rail service, though Amtrak's New York City-Chicago Lake Shore Limited service schedules an eastbound and westbound train through Lake County nightly with stops at Cleveland and Erie. CSX and Norfolk Southern provide railroad main line through-freight service. The recently formed Grand River Railroad, operating on former Baltimore & Ohio track, serves the Fairport Harbor area linking the Morton Salt plant with CSX at Painesville.

Major highways

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Education

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Post-secondary institutions

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Public schools

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The following public school districts are located in Lake County:[24]

Private schools

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Libraries

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The following libraries serve Lake County:

Additionally, as of 2019, all Lake County libraries are all CLEVNET members.

Media

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Lake County is part of the Cleveland-area media and television market.

The News-Herald, a Lake County newspaper, has been headquartered in Willoughby since its inception.

Government

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Lake County leans strongly Republican in local elections. As of 2024, all but one county-wide elected officials are Republicans.[25]

Lake County Elected Officials
Position Name Party
Commissioner John Plecnik Republican
Commissioner Richard Regovich Republican
Commissioner John Hamercheck Republican
Auditor Christopher Galloway Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Charles Coulson Republican
Clerk of Courts Faith Andrews Republican
Sheriff Frank Leonbruno Republican
Recorder Becky Lynch Republican
Treasurer Michael Zuren Republican
Engineer James Gills Republican
Coroner David Keep Republican
Lake County Judges
Position Name Party
Common Pleas - General Patrick Condon Republican
Common Pleas - General Vincent Culotta Republican
Common Pleas - General Jeffrey Ruple Republican
Common Pleas - General John O'Donnell Republican
Domestic Relations Division Colleen Falkowski Democrat
Juvenile Division Michael DeLeone Republican
Probate Division Mark Bartolotta Republican

Politics

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Lake County has traditionally been known as a "purple" or "swing" county within the state. A 2008 analysis of Ohio presidential election results from 1960 to 2004 found no other county more closely followed Ohio's statewide voting pattern.[26] Although it did not always vote with the winner, it had consistently been closer to the winner's Ohio vote percentage than any other Ohio county. More recently, however, the county has trended more strongly Republican than the state as a whole. For example, in 2020 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won the county by nearly a fourteen point margin while winning the state as a whole by only eight points.

United States presidential election results for Lake County, Ohio[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 72,924 56.46% 54,484 42.18% 1,751 1.36%
2020 73,278 56.03% 55,514 42.45% 1,990 1.52%
2016 64,255 54.83% 46,397 39.59% 6,538 5.58%
2012 58,744 49.50% 57,680 48.61% 2,241 1.89%
2008 59,142 48.62% 60,155 49.45% 2,345 1.93%
2004 62,193 51.05% 59,049 48.47% 581 0.48%
2000 51,747 50.45% 46,497 45.33% 4,320 4.21%
1996 40,974 41.92% 43,186 44.19% 13,576 13.89%
1992 40,766 38.46% 37,682 35.55% 27,542 25.99%
1988 52,963 56.63% 39,667 42.41% 894 0.96%
1984 54,587 59.12% 36,711 39.76% 1,027 1.11%
1980 43,485 50.31% 35,246 40.78% 7,697 8.91%
1976 36,390 45.83% 40,734 51.30% 2,284 2.88%
1972 42,488 58.90% 27,523 38.15% 2,130 2.95%
1968 28,450 43.40% 27,932 42.61% 9,177 14.00%
1964 23,282 37.65% 38,552 62.35% 0 0.00%
1960 32,038 48.94% 33,425 51.06% 0 0.00%
1956 31,017 61.14% 19,718 38.86% 0 0.00%
1952 23,483 60.48% 15,346 39.52% 0 0.00%
1948 12,973 53.81% 10,844 44.98% 291 1.21%
1944 13,697 51.86% 12,713 48.14% 0 0.00%
1940 13,464 52.04% 12,408 47.96% 0 0.00%
1936 9,386 43.24% 11,213 51.66% 1,108 5.10%
1932 11,792 61.43% 6,801 35.43% 603 3.14%
1928 11,823 74.24% 4,024 25.27% 79 0.50%
1924 7,727 70.71% 974 8.91% 2,226 20.37%
1920 7,465 72.31% 2,711 26.26% 147 1.42%
1916 2,887 51.39% 2,596 46.21% 135 2.40%
1912 1,155 22.91% 1,429 28.34% 2,458 48.75%
1908 3,635 66.97% 1,605 29.57% 188 3.46%
1904 3,824 76.42% 871 17.41% 309 6.18%
1900 3,929 68.41% 1,733 30.18% 81 1.41%
1896 3,745 68.40% 1,682 30.72% 48 0.88%
1892 2,846 67.46% 1,158 27.45% 215 5.10%
1888 2,987 68.37% 1,157 26.48% 225 5.15%
1884 2,925 69.64% 1,120 26.67% 155 3.69%
1880 2,978 71.06% 1,104 26.34% 109 2.60%
1876 2,941 71.28% 1,141 27.65% 44 1.07%
1872 2,751 73.56% 979 26.18% 10 0.27%
1868 2,909 76.59% 889 23.41% 0 0.00%
1864 2,787 82.63% 586 17.37% 0 0.00%
1860 2,521 77.74% 622 19.18% 100 3.08%
1856 2,371 78.04% 628 20.67% 39 1.28%

Communities

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Map of Lake County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels

Cities

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Villages

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Townships

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Points of Interest

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Holden Arboretum, one of the largest arboreta and botanical gardens in the United States, is located in Kirtland.

The James A. Garfield National Historic Site is located in Mentor. The site preserves the Lawnfield estate and surrounding property of James A. Garfield, the 20th president of the United States, and includes the first presidential library established in the United States.

Kirtland Temple, the first temple built by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement, is located in Kirtland. Kirtland, which served as the headquarters for the Latter Day Saint movement during most of the 1830s,[28] also hosts the nearby Historic Kirtland Village, which is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is made up of historic buildings and sites important to the early Latter Day Saint movement.

Several other historic churches are located in the county, including the Methodist Episcopal Church of Painesville, Old South Church in Kirtland, St. James Episcopal Church in Painesville, and the South LeRoy Meetinghouse in Leroy Township.

A portion of the Grand River Valley American Viticultural Area is located in the eastern half of the county.

Squire's Castle is located within the North Chagrin Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks in Willoughby Hills.

Classic Park, the home field of the Lake County Captains, a Class A minor league baseball team affiliated with the Cleveland Guardians, is located in Eastlake.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ohio County Profiles: Lake County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2004. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Lake County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Retrieved April 28, 2007.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ summertorok (March 9, 2023). "Lake County Commissioners Celebrate Lake County's 183rd Birthday". Commissioners' Office. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Lowe, J. W. (1918). Willoughby Republican. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Barrow, Jack (August 12, 1923). "Olden time custom of naming one's home is popular in this vicinity". The Cleveland Plain Dealer. p. 53. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Barrow, Jack (July 14, 1929). "Ingenious Are the Ways in Which Society Names Its Country Residences". The Cleveland Plain Dealer. p. 48. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  9. ^ White, George W. (1980). Glacial Geology of Lake County, Ohio (PDF). Columbus, Ohio: State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological Survey. p. 8.
  10. ^ "Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve". State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  11. ^ "QuickFacts Lake County, Ohio; United States". Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  14. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  16. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  18. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  19. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  20. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  21. ^ "Data Center Results". Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  22. ^ a b "scorecard.org". Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  23. ^ "Transportation choices". EcoCity Cleveland. April 18, 2007. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
  24. ^ https://www.lakecountyohio.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/School_Districts.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  25. ^ https://lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/lake/cnm.aspx [bare URL]
  26. ^ Exner, Rich (August 19, 2008). "Ohio's presidential election bellwether: Lake County". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  28. ^ "Historic Kirtland Visitors' Center". The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
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41°49′N 81°14′W / 41.82°N 81.24°W / 41.82; -81.24

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