Powell, Ohio

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Powell is a city in Delaware County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,247 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Census Bureau's official population estimate as of 2005 was 10,504.

The community was first settled around 1801, two years before Ohio became a state. It was named "Middlebury" at the time, because the first settlers came from the Middlebury, Connecticut area. In 1857, Judge Thomas Powell established the first post office in the community, and the residents decided to adopt his name. Powell was finally incorporated as a municipality in 1947. The population remained small until the 1980s, when residential development expanding from the northern Columbus metropolitan area reached Powell. In twenty years, the population rose from less than 400 to over 6,000.

In July of 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Powell 18 on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Economy
4 Famous Powell Area (reside in Liberty and Orange Townships) Residents
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Powell street in fall.

Powell is located at 40°9′30″N, 83°4′27″W (40.158217, -83.074252)^GR1. The city sits between the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers, about fourteen miles north of the state capital of Columbus, centered on the intersection of state highway routes 315 and 750. It sits within Liberty Township, the site of the first settlement in Delaware County, Ohio.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 km² (3.0 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 6,247 people, 1,975 households, and 1,789 families residing in the city. The population density was 793.4/km² (2,057.3/mi²). There were 2,032 housing units at an average density of 258.1/km² (669.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.29% White, 1.55% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.09% of the population.

There were 1,975 households out of which 56.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.1% were married couples living together, 3.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.4% were non-families. 7.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.16 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city the population was spread out with 35.9% under the age of 18, 2.7% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 3.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $115,904, and the median income for a family was $117,801. Males had a median income of $79,146 versus $42,656 for females. The per capita income for the city was $46,257. About 0.4% of families and 0.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Economy

As a bedroom community for Columbus, lying within its statistical metropolitan area, most residents of Powell work in Columbus or one of its suburbs. Powell is noted for a historic central business district, which features a number of antique shops and similar enterprises. Apart from this distinction, Powell is home to typical midwestern fast food and supermarkets, but due to the wishes of the residents, past and present, does not host any major industrial, financial, or high tech businesses. This is apparent through the Wal-Mart dispute, which a group of citizens formed what is currently The Community Oversight Foundation to fight against Wal-Mart on the grounds that Wal-Mart would be detrimental to the preservation of the historic nature of Powell and would harm the current property values. However, in adjoining Liberty Township, the Columbus Zoo, Wyandot Lake, O'Shaugnessy Dam, and the Olentangy Indian Caverns, offer residents and visitors alike, entertainment and recreational options.

Powell is officially a city and is thus authorized by the laws of the State of Ohio to form a city school district. However, it instead continues to associate with the Olentangy Local School District. Powell is also home to private schools Powell Preparatory Academy and Village Academy, and to a branch of the Delware County District Library.

Although Powell maintains its own police department, it is served by the Liberty Township Fire Department, which has two stations less than one mile from the northern and western borders of the city.