Ripley County, Indiana

Ripley County, Indiana

Location in the state of Indiana

Indiana's location in the U.S.
Founded 1818
Named for Eleazer Wheelock Ripley
Seat Versailles
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

448.06 sq mi (1,160 km²)
446.43 sq mi (1,156 km²)
1.64 sq mi (4 km²), 0.37%
Population
 - (2010)
 - Density

28,818
65/sq mi (24.93/km²)
Congressional district 9th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.ripleycounty.com
Footnotes:  

Indiana county number 69

Ripley County (County Number 69) is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 28,818.[1] The county seat is Versailles[2].

Contents

History

Ripley County was formed in 1818. It was named for Gen. Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, an officer in the War of 1812, who was mainly remembered for the Battle of Lundy's Lane and the Siege of Fort Erie, in 1814.[3]

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 448.06 square miles (1,160.5 km2), of which 446.43 square miles (1,156.2 km2) (or 99.64%) is land and 1.64 square miles (4.2 km2) (or 0.37%) is water.[4]

Cities and towns

Unincorporated towns

Townships

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected area

Climate and weather

Versailles, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
3.1
 
35
18
 
 
2.7
 
40
21
 
 
3.8
 
51
30
 
 
4.1
 
62
38
 
 
5.3
 
71
47
 
 
4
 
79
57
 
 
3.9
 
84
61
 
 
4.6
 
82
59
 
 
2.9
 
76
51
 
 
3
 
65
40
 
 
3.1
 
52
32
 
 
3.5
 
40
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[5]

In recent years, average temperatures in Versailles have ranged from a low of 18 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −28 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 100 °F (38 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.71 inches (69 mm) in February to 5.27 inches (134 mm) in May.[5]

Government

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.[6][7]

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.[6][7]

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.[7]

Ripley County is part of Indiana's 9th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Democrat Baron Hill.[8]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 1,822
1830 3,989 118.9%
1840 10,392 160.5%
1850 14,820 42.6%
1860 19,054 28.6%
1870 20,977 10.1%
1880 21,627 3.1%
1890 19,350 −10.5%
1900 19,881 2.7%
1910 19,452 −2.2%
1920 18,694 −3.9%
1930 18,078 −3.3%
1940 18,898 4.5%
1950 18,763 −0.7%
1960 20,641 10.0%
1970 21,138 2.4%
1980 24,398 15.4%
1990 24,616 0.9%
2000 26,523 7.7%
2010 28,818 8.7%
Sources: United States Department of Commerce,
Bureau of the Census, Population Division[9]
Census Quickfacts[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 26,523 people, 9,842 households, and 7,273 families residing in the county. The population density was 59 people per square mile (23/km²). There were 10,482 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.30% White, 0.05% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 46.6% were of German, 19.5% American, 9.5% Irish and 8.2% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 9,842 households out of which 36.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.30% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county the population was spread out with 28.10% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,426, and the median income for a family was $47,019. Males had a median income of $34,055 versus $23,610 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,559. About 6.30% of families and 7.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Ripley County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18137.html. Retrieved 2011-09-25. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  3. ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co.. pp. 572. http://books.google.com/books?id=YDIUAAAAYAAJ. 
  4. ^ "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_counties_national.txt. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
  5. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Versailles, Indiana". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0685. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  6. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
  7. ^ a b c Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2". IN.gov. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
  8. ^ "Conressman Baron Hill". House.Gov. http://baronhill.house.gov/district.shtml. Retrieved 2008-09-12. 
  9. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. pp. 50–53. ISBN 0-934213-48-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z12v1lrkv2IC&lpg=PA50&pg=PA50#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
  10. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.