Ada is a village in Hardin County, Ohio, United States, located about 69 miles southwest of Toledo. The population was 5,334 at the 2020 census. It is the home of Ohio Northern University and Ada High School.

History

Following the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs, the Shawnee Indians held reservation land at Hog Creek near Ada. Ada itself was originally called Johnstown, platted in 1853 by S. M. Johnson when the railroad was extended to that point. When a post office was established it was called Ada Post Office, named after the postmaster's daughter, Ada. The post office has been in operation since 1854. The growth of the village is due in large part to the founding of the Ohio Normal School, now known as Ohio Northern University. The University was founded in 1871 by Henry Solomon Lehr, just eighteen years after Ada was first settled. Today, Ada is the second largest incorporated community in Hardin County. In 1910, President William Howard Taft visited Ada, to give the fall commencement speech at Ohio Northern University. To date, Taft is the only president to visit the village. Ada welcomed Martin Luther King Jr. to the village in January of 1968, just three months before his assassination. Ada has been noted for having one of the shortest place names in Ohio. The National Arbor Day Foundation has qualified Ada as a Tree City USA since 1981.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 2.08 sqmi, all land. The area surrounding the village is mostly farmland and small plots of forest. Hog Creek is the only waterway of note and snakes around the village to the north and the east.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,952 people, 1,729 households, and 846 families living in the village. The population density was 2861.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,910 housing units at an average density of 918.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 93.5% White, 1.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population. There were 1,729 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no spouse present, 3.1% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 51.1% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age in the village was 22.2 years. 13.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 49.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.2% were from 25 to 44; 13.5% were from 45 to 64; and 6.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,582 people, 1,783 households, and 850 families living in the village. The population density was 2,982.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,948 housing units at an average density of 1,040.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.50% White, 1.58% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population. There were 1,783 households, out of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 52.3% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.92. In the village, the population was spread out, with 13.9% under the age of 18, 48.6% from 18 to 24, 18.0% from 25 to 44, 12.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $24,665, and the median income for a family was $39,300. Males had a median income of $32,143 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the village was $12,561. About 11.7% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The village has a mayor, David A. Retterer, who has held the office since 2003. Retterer moved to the village in 1979 to become a mathematics professor at the local Ohio Northern University, before running for mayor for the first time in 2003. Retterer won a 6th term as mayor in 2023, defeating challenger Howard Fenton. The village also elects a Village Council, made up of six representative elected on a rotating basis. There are no term limits to municipal offices in Ada. The Village Council is elected at large and by popular vote. The members are as follows:

Economy

The Wilson Sporting Goods NFL football manufacturing facility is located in Ada, and is the only leather football manufacturing facility in the United States.

Education

Ada Exempted Village Public School houses grades K-12 and most of the administration. The district spends $7,701 per student annually ($925 lower than the state average). Ada High School's sports teams participate in the Blanchard Valley Conference, officially moving in 2023 after spending over fifty years in the Northwest Conference. Ada is the home of Ohio Northern University, a private university comprising five colleges.

Media

Three media outlets currently operate in Ada. The Ada Herald is a weekly newspaper, AdaIcon.com is a news website, and WOHA, a non-commercial, religious radio station owned by Holy Family Communications.

Transportation

Ada Airport is a privately owned, public-use airport located 1 nmi northwest of the central business district of Ada. Ada station formerly operated along the Pennsylvania Railroad and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable people