Belmont County is a county located in the eastern end of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 66,497. Its county seat is St. Clairsville, while its largest city is Martins Ferry. The county was created on September 7, 1801, and organized on November 7, 1801.McKelvey, A. T.. Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens. pp. 46–47. Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. (1903). It takes its name from the French for "beautiful mountain".

Belmont County is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area.

History Belmont County was authorized in September 1801 by the Northwest Territorial legislature, with area partitioned from Jefferson and Washington counties. The county would be organized two months later with St. Clairsville being named as the county seat in 1803. Its area was reduced in 1810 when area was ceded for the formation of Guernsey County and again in 1813 for the formation of Monroe County. It has retained its boundaries unchanged since 1813. Belmont is the French toponym meaning "beautiful mountain". Settlers migrating westward followed Zane's Trace through the county. Later, the National Road was built through the county. Quakers were among the county's first settlers. Many of these people would become outspoken critics of slavery, including famous abolitionist Benjamin Lundy.

Some of the earliest settlers in Belmont County were the Vernons, Williamses and Thomases from Georgia; the Starbucks from Nantucket; the Pattersons, Bundys, Stantons, Edgertons, Doudnas, Boswells, Outlands, Halls, Middletons and Hansons from North Carolina; the Baileys from Southeastern Virginia, and the Smiths from Pennsylvania.

Belmont County is located in the Ohio coal belt.McKelvey, A. T.. Centennial History of Belmont County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens. p. 79. Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. (1903). At one time, steamships traveling down the Ohio River knew the county's community of Bellaire as the last stop for coal until Cincinnati.Bruno, Holly; and Ehritz, Andrew. Bellaire. p. 7. Charleston, South Carolina, Arcadia Publishing (2009). In 1866, the county was served by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Toledo & Ohio Railroad. The National Road also ran through Bellaire.McKelvey, A. T.. Centennial History of Belmont County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens. p. 68. Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. (1903). Given the county's transportation resources, fuel resource, and experienced workforce in nearby Wheeling, West Virginia, the county was an excellent location for a glass manufacturing plant. The county's first glass works was the Excelsior Glass Works, which was organized in 1849. In 1866 Belmont Glass Company became Bellaire's first of many glass plants, and the second in Belmont County.Crammer, Gibson L.; Jepson, Samuel L.; Trainer, John H.S.; Morrison, William; and Taneyhill, R.H.. History of the Upper Ohio Valley.... p.484. Madison, Wisconsin. Brant & Fuller. (1890). Some of the founders of this glass works later started another glass factory in Bellaire: the Bellaire Goblet Company. In 1880, the state of Ohio ranked fourth in the country in glass production, and Belmont County ranked sixth among the nation's counties.Weeks, Joseph Dame; and United States Census Office. Report on the Manufacture of Glass. p.11. Washington. Government Printing Office. (1884) By 1881, Bellaire had 15 glass factories, and was known as "Glass City".Revi, Albert Christian. American Pressed Glass and Figure Bottles. p.69. New York. Nelson. (1964) At the beginning of the next decade, the state of Ohio was ranked second in the nation in glass production based on the value of the product.United States Census Office. Report on Manufacturing Industries in the United States at the Eleventh Census. p.315. Washington. Government Printing Office. (1895)

Belmont County was the venue for the world-famous Jamboree in the Hills outdoor country music festival from 1977 to 2018. In 1986, the syndicated Paul Harvey Show featured a special election being held in Belmont County for purposes of selecting a new official county seal and flag, created by then-county resident Michael Massa.

Geography

Belmont County lies on the east side of Ohio. Its east border abuts the west border of West Virginia (across the Ohio River). The Ohio flows southward along the county's east line. Captina Creek flows eastward through the lower part of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Powhatan Point, and McMahon Creek also flows eastward through the center of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Bellaire. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages. All available area is devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east, with its highest point, Galloway Knob (1,396' or 426m ASL) at southeast of Lamira. The county has a total area of 541.27 sqmi (1492 km2), of which 532.13 sqmi (1378 km2) is land and 9.14 sqmi (23.69 km2) (1.7%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Harrison County – north Jefferson County – northeast Ohio County, West Virginia – east Marshall County, West Virginia – southeast Monroe County – south Noble County – southwest Guernsey County – west

Major highways

Protected areas Barkcamp State Park Dysart Woods Natural Monument Egypt Valley Wildlife Area

Lakes Barnesville Lake Barnesville Reservoir #3 Belmont Lake Piedmont Lake (part)

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 66,497. The median age was 45.2 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 104.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 91.5% White, 3.2% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.2% of the population.

38.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 61.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 27,333 households in the county, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.9% were married-couple households, 19.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 31,618 housing units, of which 13.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.3% were owner-occupied and 26.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Belmont County, Ohio – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)80,41969,35766,51265,90260,53697.40%97.58%94.71%93.61%91.04%Black or African American alone (NH)1,5901,2902,5472,8152,0711.93%1.82%3.63%4.00%3.11%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)42759285830.05%0.11%0.13%0.12%0.12%Asian alone (NH)1701272092572650.21%0.18%0.30%0.37%0.40%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 Census13611xx0.02%0.01%0.02%Other race alone (NH)643165461300.08%0.04%0.09%0.07%0.20%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census5148602,577xx0.73%1.22%3.88%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2841942744298240.34%0.27%0.39%0.61%1.24%Total82,56971,07470,22670,40066,497 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census As of the 2010 United States census, there were 70,400 people, 28,679 households, and 18,761 families in the county. The population density was . There were 32,452 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.0% were German, 17.9% were Irish, 12.4% were English, 10.1% were Italian, 9.0% were Polish, and 6.2% were American.

Of the 28,679 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 43.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,320 and the median income for a family was $47,214. Males had a median income of $42,022 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,266. About 12.1% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 70,226 people, 28,309 households, and 19,250 families in the county. The population density was . There were 31,236 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.98% White, 3.64% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 0.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.2% were of German, 12.5% Irish, 12.0% American, 10.3% English, 10.2% Italian and 9.0% Polish ancestry according to the 2000 census.

There were 28,309 households, out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90.

The county population contained 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,714, and the median income for a family was $37,538. Males had a median income of $31,211 versus $19,890 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,221. About 11.70% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics Belmont County is an Appalachian county in Southern Ohio, and as with many counties in this region was solidly Democratic from the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration through the 1990s. Back in the 19th century, the county frequently voted Republican, including voting for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Similar to counties in neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, in Appalachia, the Democratic margins began to shrink in the 2000s, and the county became reliably Republican by 2012.

Government

Most of the county's government offices are located in the Belmont County Courthouse. Belmont County has a three-member board of county commissioners who administer and oversee the various county departments, similar to all but two of the 88 Ohio counties. The elected commissioners serve staggered four-year terms. As of 2019, Belmont County's elected commissioners are: Jerry Echemann (R), J. P. Dutton (R), and Josh Meyer (R).

Corrections