1790–1960{{cite web|url=https://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 9,2015}}1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census:1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27,1995|access-date=February 9,2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27,2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties:1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2,2001|access-date=February 9,2015}}2020 [https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html 2020 census]"}},"i":0}}]}" id="mwcw">.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop{border-spacing:1px;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;background-color:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);padding:0.3em;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop caption{background-color:lavender;color:black;padding-right:0.2em;padding-left:0.2em;font-size:110%;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-bottom:none}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop th[scope=col]{border-bottom:1px solid black}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop td:nth-child(2){text-align:right;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop td.us-census-pop-estimate{padding-left:0}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop td:nth-child(3){padding-left:0}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop td:nth-child(4){padding-left:0.5em;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop-footnote{border-top:1px solid black;font-size:85%;text-align:center}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop-right{float:right;clear:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop-left{float:left;clear:left;margin:0 1em 1em 0}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop-center{float:none;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}.mw-parser-output .us-census-pop-none{float:none;margin:0 1em 1em 0}}
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1820 | 95 | — | |
1830 | 1,110 | 1,068.4% | |
1840 | 8,277 | 645.7% | |
1850 | 7,712 | −6.8% | |
1860 | 14,104 | 82.9% | |
1870 | 17,254 | 22.3% | |
1880 | 21,808 | 26.4% | |
1890 | 27,220 | 24.8% | |
1900 | 28,021 | 2.9% | |
1910 | 27,536 | −1.7% | |
1920 | 26,872 | −2.4% | |
1930 | 25,096 | −6.6% | |
1940 | 26,256 | 4.6% | |
1950 | 28,311 | 7.8% | |
1960 | 32,559 | 15.0% | |
1970 | 35,265 | 8.3% | |
1980 | 38,334 | 8.7% | |
1990 | 39,443 | 2.9% | |
2000 | 40,924 | 3.8% | |
2010 | 40,814 | −0.3% | |
2020 | 42,528 | 4.2% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10] 1990–2000 [11] 2020 [1] |
As of the census [12] of 2010, there were 40,814 people, 14,756 households, and 11,022 families living in the county. The population density was 88 inhabitants per square mile (34/km2). There were 15,875 housing units at an average density of 34 units per square mile (13/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 1.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 14,756 households, out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,742, and the median income for a family was $50,157. Males had a median income of $35,508 versus $22,857 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,531. About 4.60% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.90% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 40,814 people, 15,532 households, and 11,172 families living in the county. [13] The population density was 88.3 inhabitants per square mile (34.1/km2). There were 17,633 housing units at an average density of 38.1 units per square mile (14.7 units/km2). [14] The racial makeup of the county was 97.4% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. [13] In terms of ancestry, 58.7% were German, 8.8% were American, 8.3% were Irish, and 6.2% were English. [15]
Of the 15,532 households, 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.1% were non-families, and 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 39.4 years. [13]
The median income for a household in the county was $49,719 and the median income for a family was $60,215. Males had a median income of $42,441 versus $31,069 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,348. About 6.3% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. [16]
Prior to 1940, Mercer County was primarily Democratic, only voting Republican once from 1856 to 1936 for Ohioan Warren G. Harding in 1920. From 1940 to 1968, the county was a Republican-leaning swing county, voting for Republican candidates four times and Democratic candidates three times, although John F. Kennedy came within 5 votes of carrying it in 1960. The 1972 election began the county's streak of being a Republican stronghold presidentially, with the party's margins of victory increasing to well over 50 percent in recent elections.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2024 | 19,710 | 82.72% | 3,865 | 16.22% | 251 | 1.05% |
2020 | 19,452 | 81.79% | 4,030 | 16.94% | 302 | 1.27% |
2016 | 17,506 | 80.24% | 3,384 | 15.51% | 926 | 4.24% |
2012 | 16,561 | 76.40% | 4,745 | 21.89% | 370 | 1.71% |
2008 | 15,100 | 70.90% | 5,853 | 27.48% | 346 | 1.62% |
2004 | 15,650 | 74.92% | 5,118 | 24.50% | 122 | 0.58% |
2000 | 12,485 | 68.25% | 5,212 | 28.49% | 597 | 3.26% |
1996 | 8,832 | 50.03% | 6,300 | 35.69% | 2,521 | 14.28% |
1992 | 8,683 | 46.82% | 4,883 | 26.33% | 4,979 | 26.85% |
1988 | 11,162 | 68.54% | 4,978 | 30.57% | 146 | 0.90% |
1984 | 11,542 | 71.49% | 4,422 | 27.39% | 180 | 1.11% |
1980 | 8,673 | 56.54% | 5,506 | 35.90% | 1,160 | 7.56% |
1976 | 7,678 | 51.71% | 6,724 | 45.28% | 447 | 3.01% |
1972 | 8,587 | 57.60% | 5,798 | 38.89% | 522 | 3.50% |
1968 | 6,313 | 44.43% | 6,801 | 47.86% | 1,095 | 7.71% |
1964 | 4,373 | 30.25% | 10,081 | 69.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 7,735 | 50.02% | 7,730 | 49.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
1956 | 9,456 | 68.88% | 4,272 | 31.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 9,058 | 65.72% | 4,725 | 34.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
1948 | 5,266 | 47.01% | 5,928 | 52.92% | 8 | 0.07% |
1944 | 7,712 | 63.04% | 4,522 | 36.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
1940 | 7,905 | 60.72% | 5,114 | 39.28% | 0 | 0.00% |
1936 | 3,602 | 27.28% | 7,217 | 54.66% | 2,385 | 18.06% |
1932 | 3,314 | 27.78% | 8,462 | 70.94% | 153 | 1.28% |
1928 | 5,129 | 45.29% | 6,155 | 54.34% | 42 | 0.37% |
1924 | 4,215 | 40.40% | 5,135 | 49.21% | 1,084 | 10.39% |
1920 | 5,692 | 56.13% | 4,404 | 43.43% | 44 | 0.43% |
1916 | 2,065 | 33.81% | 3,803 | 62.27% | 239 | 3.91% |
1912 | 1,324 | 23.30% | 3,591 | 63.19% | 768 | 13.51% |
1908 | 2,148 | 31.92% | 4,456 | 66.22% | 125 | 1.86% |
1904 | 2,173 | 38.70% | 3,286 | 58.52% | 156 | 2.78% |
1900 | 2,015 | 30.69% | 4,460 | 67.93% | 91 | 1.39% |
1896 | 1,991 | 29.16% | 4,790 | 70.16% | 46 | 0.67% |
1892 | 1,526 | 25.86% | 3,688 | 62.51% | 686 | 11.63% |
1888 | 1,841 | 30.01% | 4,146 | 67.58% | 148 | 2.41% |
1884 | 1,384 | 26.95% | 3,728 | 72.59% | 24 | 0.47% |
1880 | 1,473 | 30.33% | 3,367 | 69.34% | 16 | 0.33% |
1876 | 1,128 | 28.39% | 2,840 | 71.48% | 5 | 0.13% |
1872 | 1,026 | 32.65% | 2,090 | 66.52% | 26 | 0.83% |
1868 | 884 | 26.97% | 2,394 | 73.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
1864 | 834 | 30.21% | 1,927 | 69.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
1860 | 832 | 34.01% | 1,606 | 65.66% | 8 | 0.33% |
1856 | 629 | 33.07% | 1,159 | 60.94% | 114 | 5.99% |
The county is the fictional setting of the Amazon Prime Video series Tales from the Loop . [18]