Greene County

On March 24, 1803, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Greene County. The county was originally parts of Ross and Hamilton Counties. Residents named the county in honor of General Nathaniel Greene, a hero of the American Revolution.

Greene County is located in southwestern Ohio. It is predominantly rural, with four percent of the county's 415 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Xenia, which was the county's third largest city in 2000. With a population of 37,984 people, Beavercreek was the county's largest community in 2000. Greene County experienced a sizable increase in population-roughly 8.2 percent-between 1990 and 2000, raising the total number of residents to 147,886 people. The county averages 356 people per square mile.

The largest employers in Greene County are service industries, especially Wilberforce University, Wright State University, Cedarville College, and Central State College, with government positions finishing second. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the largest government employer. Tourism, another type of service industry, is a rather large employer in the county, with many people visiting the outdoor drama Blue Jacket that takes place near Xenia. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was approximately 27,100 dollars, with just over seven percent of the people living in poverty.

Most voters in Greene County claim to be independents, yet in recent years, they have overwhelmingly supported Republican Party candidates at the national level.

Educator Horace Mann, novelist William Dean Howells, and historian Whitelaw Reid rank among the county's more prominent residents.