Scioto County ( ) is a county along the Ohio River in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Ohio. At the 2020 census, the population was 74,008. Its county seat is Portsmouth. The county was founded on March 24, 1804, from Adams County and is named for a Native American word referring to deer or deer-hunting. Scioto County comprises the Portsmouth, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is at the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio rivers.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (1.0%) is water. Many parts of Scioto County are heavily forested, especially in the western half of the county with Shawnee State Park.

Adjacent counties Adams County (west) Pike County (north) Jackson County (northeast) Lawrence County (southeast) Greenup County, Kentucky (south) Lewis County, Kentucky (southwest)

National protected area Wayne National Forest (part)

Other parks Shawnee State Forest and Park, the state's largest with over , covers most of western Scioto County, and Brush Creek State Forest touches part of northwestern Scioto County. The county also has numerous parks and recreational areas in each of its townships, including Earl Thomas Conley Park on U.S. 52 west of Portsmouth. Public lands in the county also include the Wayne National Forest on the Ironton Ranger District. The forest encompasses almost in three townships in Scioto County (Vernon , Green township , and Bloom 4,008.29 acres).

Within the city limits of Portsmouth, there are 14 parks for the residents and for community use. These parks are Alexandria Park (Ohio and Scioto River confluence), Allard Park (Bonser Avenue in Sciotoville), Bannon Park (near Farley Square), Branch Rickey Park (on Williams Street near levee), Buckeye Park (near Branch Rickey Park), Cyndee Secrest Park (Sciotoville), Dr. Hartlage Park (Rose Street in Sciotoville), Labold Park (near Spartan Stadium), Larry Hisle Park (23rd Street and Thomas Avenue), Mound Park (17th and Hutchins Streets), York Park (riverfront), Spartan Stadium, Tracy Park (Chillicothe and Gay Streets), and Weghorst Park (Fourth and Jefferson Streets).

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 74,008 and a median age of 41.2 years; 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% were 65 years of age or older, while there were 97.2 males for every 100 females and 95.6 males for every 100 females age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 91.8% White, 2.8% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

44.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 55.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 29,612 households in the county, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.5% were married-couple households, 18.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 33,108 housing units, of which 10.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.3% were owner-occupied and 33.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Scioto County, Ohio – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)81,46177,07474,85974,53167,53196.35%95.95%94.52%93.75%91.25%Black or African American alone (NH)2,3712,4472,1472,1072,0382.80%3.05%2.71%2.65%2.75%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1134034673952540.13%0.50%0.59%0.50%0.34%Asian alone (NH)1471241892482740.17%0.15%0.24%0.31%0.37%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census15109xx0.02%0.01%0.01%Other race alone (NH)311849592100.04%0.02%0.06%0.07%0.28%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census9921,2612,640xx1.25%1.59%3.57%Hispanic or Latino (any race)4222614778881,0520.50%0.32%0.60%1.12%1.42%Total84,54580,32779,19579,49974,008 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census At the 2010 United States census, 79,499 people, 30,870 households, and 20,911 families resided in the county. The population density was . There were 34,142 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 94.4% white, 2.7% black or African American, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 22.9% were German, 15.0% were Irish, 12.1% were American, and 10.1% were English.

Of the 30,870 households, 32.2% had children under 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.3% were non-families and 27.4% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 38.8.

The median household income was $32,812 and the median family income was $44,122. Males had a median income of $40,876 and females $29,675. The per capita income was $17,778. About 16.4% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under 18 and 11.8% of those 65 or over.

2000 census At the 2000 census, 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families resided in the county. The population density was . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 94.88% White, 2.73% Black or African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 30,837 households, of which 32.2% had children under 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.40% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of single individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.97.

24.40% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% were 65 or older. The median age was 37. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median household income was $28,008 and the median family income was $34,691. Males had a median income of $32,063 and females $21,562. The per capita income was $15,408. About 15.2% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under 18 and 12.8% of those 65 or over. Politics The county was recently a swing county, as most presidential elections before 2016 were won by close margins. Additionally, it voted for the nationwide winner in each election between 1964 and 2004. Donald Trump won 66% of the county's vote in 2016, 71% in 2020, and 74% in 2024.

Government

Portsmouth is Scioto County's county seat. The county courthouse is at the corner of Sixth and Court streets. It was designed by John Scudder Adkins and constructed in 1936 as a public works project. The county jail, once in the courthouse, is now in a new facility at the site of the former Norfolk and Western rail depot, near U.S. 23. It was constructed in 2006.

The current Scioto County Commissioners are Will Mault, Merit Smith, and Scottie Powell.

The current Scioto County Recorder is Gary Jenkins, a Republican.

Scioto County is the site of the state's Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, in Lucasville. It is Ohio's only maximum security prison and the site of Ohio's death house, where death row inmates are executed.

The county maintenance garage is also in Lucasville.

Economy

Scioto County's economy has been strongly based on that of Portsmouth after heavy industry replaced agriculture and river trade as most important. Through the early 20th century and until the 1970s, heavy industry such as steel mills and shoe factories drove the county's economy. Since these factories closed, Scioto County has lost jobs and revenue.

In the early 21st century, the service industry and healthcare, such as the Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC), is the county's largest employer. Scioto County is home to Ohio's newest state university, Shawnee State University, which enrolls between 3,300 and 4,000 students and grants associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees. Much of the recent economic growth and change in the county is related to SOMC and Shawnee State University. Recently Infra-Metals announced the development of a new steel shipping/fabrication site in New Boston, Ohio in the Bob Walton Industrial Park. The plant is under construction and will have access to both barge and rail loading facilities.

In November 2002, the Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant in nearby Piketon was recognized as an ANS Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society. It had served a military function from 1952 until the mid-1960s, when the mission changed from enriching uranium for nuclear weapons to producing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. The Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant ended enriching operations in 2001. It began to support operational and administrative functions and perform external contract work. All uranium enrichment in the area has been taken over by a sister plant in Paducah, Kentucky. Uranium enrichment functions had been shared by the two plants. USEC interests in the area remain strong, and the American Centrifuge Plant was constructed in the first decade of the 21st century in Piketon. This commercial uranium enrichment facility was expected to employ up to 500 people and reach an initial annual production level of 3.5 million SWU by 2010.

Scioto County has also been the benefactor of Suncoke (coke (fuel) production). Sole Choice, Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of shoelaces, is in the county. Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber, the world's largest manufacturer of rift and quartered oak products, has two satellite log yards in the county. Its main office is across the river in South Shore, Kentucky.

Education

Colleges and universities The Ohio University Southern Campus was in Scioto County until the early 1980s, when it relocated to Lawrence County (Ironton). Shawnee State Community College used the former Ohio University buildings. The curriculum and facilities were developed to a full four-year undergraduate program and graduate studies, being established in 1986 as Shawnee State University from the former Scioto County Technical College, Ohio's 13th and newest higher education institution.

K–12 schools Scioto County has ten public school districts, one career technical center, one private school system, one charter school system, and several Christian schools. These districts include Bloom-Vernon (South Webster), Clay, Green, Minford, New Boston, Northwest, Notre Dame (Catholic), Portsmouth, Scioto County Career Technical Center (serving both K–12 and post-secondary students), Sciotoville Community School/East HS (charter), Valley, Washington-Nile (Ports. West) and Wheelersburg.

See also Ohio High School Athletic Association and Southern Ohio Conference.

Libraries