Population39,481 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
A Lakeshore County With A Courthouse Rivalry
Ottawa County, OhioPort Clinton anchors Ottawa County beside Lake Erie, with the Portage River and a limestone peninsula contributing to its geography. The courthouse provides a recognizable civic landmark within a county whose seat was contested repeatedly by another local community. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 39,481 residents in Ottawa County, Ohio, on July 1, 2025. The county has approximately 255 square miles of land, according to the 2020 Census Gazetteer.
Ottawa County at a Glance
Population39,481 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
County SeatPort Clinton
StateOhio
Established1840 (organized; NACo County Explorer)
ZIP CodesVary by address
Total Area, Including Water585.077 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography)
Road InformationState transportation resources below
Area CodesSee local phone listings
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
Discover Ottawa County
Ottawa County
Ottawa County was formed in 1840. Port Clinton and Oak Harbor debated the courthouse location over many years, with the state legislature repeatedly favoring Port Clinton. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has an Amherst sandstone exterior and a prominent clock tower. The long dispute makes the seat's location part of the story rather than a simple map fact. Its architecture and waterways offer complementary ways to understand that civic identity.
Begin with Port Clinton's courthouse setting, then consider Oak Harbor's place in the county-seat debate. Lake Erie and the Portage River supply another theme for a wider outing, connecting civic history with the surrounding water landscape. A town-centered route can focus on architecture, while a separate waterfront stop supplies landscape context. Check the particular public access point instead of treating the entire shoreline as open.
What Shapes Us
Local Character
Port Clinton anchors Ottawa County beside Lake Erie, with the Portage River and a limestone peninsula contributing to its geography.
Community History
Ottawa County was formed in 1840. Port Clinton and Oak Harbor debated the courthouse location over many years, with the state legislature repeatedly favoring Port Clinton.
Explore Locally
Lake Erie and the Portage River supply another theme for a wider outing, connecting civic history with the surrounding water landscape.
Meet the lakeshore through its communities and civic landmarks.
A Closer Look
Ottawa County
Places and perspectives from Ottawa County
WCPO 9 Ohio News
Federal officials tout $33B energy investment, massive data center in Southern Ohio
Assistant Energy Secretary Tim Walsh stopped in Cincinnati on Thursday to tout a multi-billion-dollar energy investment in Southern…
Read the Story Oct 15, 2026 • 2 min read
Around Ottawa County
Stories from every corner of Ottawa County.
Federal officials tout $33B energy investment, massive data center in Southern Ohio
Assistant Energy Secretary Tim Walsh stopped in Cincinnati on Thursday to tout a multi-billion-dollar energy investment in Southern…
Oct 15, 2026 • 2 min read
Ohio customer questions CleanChoice Energy rates after receiving different plan paperwork
A Monroe man says CleanChoice sent paperwork for a different electricity plan after he signed up through the…
Oct 15, 2026 • 2 min read
Ohio appeals court rules EdChoice private school voucher system unconstitutional
An Ohio appellate court has ruled that the EdChoice voucher program, which uses taxpayer dollars to fund private…
Oct 15, 2026 • 2 min read
One week into early voting, Ohio Democrats are outperforming Republicans
Early Ohio numbers show that Democrats are coming out to vote even more than they did in 2024…
Oct 13, 2026 • 2 min read
Vice President JD Vance early votes at Board of Elections in Hamilton County
Vice President JD Vance cast his ballot Friday for the November midterm election at the Hamilton County Board…
Oct 9, 2026 • 2 min read
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
County Resources
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
County photographs from Wikimedia Commons; images may be cropped for display.
- Downtown Port Clinton from the air.jpg — Nyttend. Public domain. Own work
- Crystal Cave Ohio.JPG — Analogue Kid at English Wikipedia. CC BY 3.0. Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Phatom87 using CommonsHelper.
Government
Schools
Public school contacts
Selected local schools from the NCES 2024-2025 directory. Contact the school or district to confirm enrollment, attendance boundaries and current services; this is not a complete school list.
R C Waters Elementary School – Elementary; grades KG-03. 220 E Ottawa St, Oak Harbor, OH 43449. 419-898-6219.
Danbury Middle School – Middle; grades 06-08. 9451 E Harbor Rd, Lakeside, OH 43440. 419-798-5185.
Genoa Elementary – Elementary; grades PK-05. 2820 N Genoa Clay Center Rd, Genoa, OH 43430. 419-855-7741.
Bataan Memorial Intermediate School – Elementary; grades 03-05. 525 W 6th St, Port Clinton, OH 43452. 419-734-3931.
Put-In-Bay Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-06. 548 Catawba Ave, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456. 419-285-3614.
Woodmore High School – High; grades 09-12. 633 Fremont St, Elmore, OH 43416. 419-862-2721.
Danbury Elementary School – Elementary; grades PK-05. 9451 E Harbor Rd, Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440. 419-798-4081.
Hospitals
Local hospital contacts
Facility contacts from the CMS Hospital General Information directory, updated July 22, 2026. Contact the facility directly to confirm current services and appointment arrangements.
Magruder Hospital – Critical Access Hospitals. 615 Fulton St, Port Clinton, OH 43452. 419-734-3131.
Ohio statewide resources
Public Safety
Official statewide resources for law enforcement, highway safety, fire prevention, investigations, and school safety.
- Ohio Department of Public Safety — statewide public-safety programs, licensing, traffic safety, and emergency services — Official website
- Ohio State Highway Patrol — highway enforcement, crash information, recruitment, and public-safety resources — Official website
- Ohio Homeland Security — homeland-security planning, intelligence coordination, and public preparedness resources — Official website
- Ohio State Fire Marshal — fire prevention, code enforcement, investigations, training, and fire-safety programs — Official website
- Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation — criminal investigations, forensic services, missing persons, and law-enforcement support — Official website
- Ohio School Safety Center — school-safety planning, threat assessment, training, and reporting resources — Official website
- Ohio Attorney General Consumer Protection — scam reporting, consumer complaints, identity-theft help, and safety information — Official website
- Ohio Traffic Safety Office — traffic-safety programs, impaired-driving prevention, grants, and public education — Official website
Ohio statewide resources
Emergency Services
Use 911 for immediate life-threatening emergencies. These resources support disaster preparedness, alerts, recovery, and crisis assistance.
- Ohio Emergency Management Agency — statewide disaster coordination, preparedness, mitigation, and recovery information — Address: 2855 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Columbus, OH 43235 — (614) 889-7150 — Official website
- ReadyOhio — Ohio preparedness guidance, emergency planning, kits, and hazard information — Official website
- FEMA — federal disaster assistance, recovery, flood, and emergency-management resources — 1-800-621-3362 — Official website
- Ready.gov — federal preparedness guidance for severe weather, disasters, and household emergencies — Official website
- National Weather Service — official weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and severe-weather information — Official website
- 211 Ohio — connections to local food, housing, health, utility, and emergency-support services — Official website
- American Red Cross — Ohio — disaster relief, shelter, blood services, preparedness, and emergency assistance — Official website
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 24/7 mental-health and crisis support by call, text, or chat — 988 — Official website
Ohio statewide resources
State Parks
Plan Ohio outdoor trips with official park, reservation, camping, boating, and flagship-property resources.
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources — state parks, forests, wildlife areas, boating, fishing, and outdoor programs — (614) 265-6565 — Official website
- Find an ODNR Property — search state parks, forests, preserves, wildlife areas, and recreation properties — Official website
- Ohio State Parks Reservations — camping, cabins, lodges, and reservable state-park facilities — 1-866-644-6727 — Official website
- Hocking Hills State Park — waterfalls, caves, cliffs, trails, camping, and visitor information — Official website
- Mohican State Park — forest recreation, hiking, camping, river activities, and lodge access — Official website
- Maumee Bay State Park — Lake Erie beach, trails, wetlands, golf, camping, and lodge amenities — Official website
- Salt Fork State Park — Ohio’s largest state park with lake recreation, trails, camping, and lodge facilities — Official website
- East Harbor State Park — Lake Erie shoreline, swimming, camping, wetlands, and family recreation — Official website
Ohio statewide resources
Trails
Find official hiking, biking, multiuse, and long-distance trail resources across Ohio.
- ODNR Trails — state-park, forest, bridle, mountain-bike, and multiuse trail information — Official website
- National Park Service — Ohio — federal parks, trails, visitor information, and historic sites across Ohio — Official website
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park Trail Maps — official hiking and recreation trail maps for Cuyahoga Valley — Official website
- Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail — official National Park Service information for the historic Towpath Trail — Official website
- Buckeye Trail Association — statewide Buckeye Trail maps, sections, events, and trail information — Official website
- Ohio to Erie Trail — cross-state trail connecting Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland — Official website
- Wayne National Forest — federal hiking, backpacking, horse, and motorized trail information in southeast Ohio — Official website
- Great Miami Riverway — regional trails, river recreation, communities, and outdoor destinations in southwest Ohio — Official website
Ohio statewide resources
Utilities
Consumer, energy, water, broadband, and utility-assistance resources for Ohio households and businesses.
- Public Utilities Commission of Ohio — utility regulation, consumer information, complaints, and service guidance — Official website
- Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel — residential utility education, advocacy, and consumer assistance — Address: 65 E. State St., Suite 700, Columbus, OH 43215 — 1-877-742-5622 — Official website
- Energy Choice Ohio — compare certified electric and natural-gas supplier offers — Official website
- Home Energy Assistance Program — heating and energy-assistance information for income-eligible Ohio households — Official website
- PIPP Plus — income-based utility payment assistance for eligible electric and natural-gas customers — Official website
- Ohio EPA — Drinking & Ground Waters — public drinking-water systems, water quality, compliance, and consumer information — Official website
- Ohio 811 — utility-location requests before digging and safe-excavation information — 811 — Official website
- BroadbandOhio — state broadband expansion, mapping, grants, and connectivity resources — Official website
Libraries
Local library contacts
Locations and public phone numbers are from the IMLS FY2024 Public Libraries Survey. Call the branch to confirm current hours and services before visiting.
Harris-Elmore Public Library – 328 Toledo St., Elmore, OH 43416. 419-862-2482.
Oak Harbor Public Library – 147 W. Main St., Oak Harbor, OH 43449. 419-898-7001.
Ida Rupp Public Library – 310 Madison St., Port Clinton, OH 43452. 419-732-3212.
Genoa Branch Library – 602 West St., Genoa, OH 43430. 419-855-3380.
Marblehead Peninsula Branch Library – 710 W. Main Street, Marblehead, OH 43440. 419-798-0477.
Erie Islands Library – 281 Concord Ave, Put-In-Bay, OH 43456. 419-285-4004.
Ohio statewide resources
Courts
Official judiciary, court-finder, case, forms, and legal-help resources for Ohio residents.
- Supreme Court of Ohio — state judicial information, opinions, rules, filings, and court administration — Address: 65 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215 — (614) 387-9000 — Official website
- Ohio Trial Courts — county-by-county information for common pleas, municipal, and county courts — Official website
- Ohio Courts of Appeals — district appellate-court information and links across the state — Official website
- Ohio Court of Claims — civil claims against the State of Ohio and victims-of-crime compensation appeals — Official website
- Supreme Court Case Search — search Supreme Court of Ohio case dockets and filings — Official website
- Ohio Court Forms — official Supreme Court forms and standardized court documents — Official website
- Ohio Attorney Search — verify attorney registration and public disciplinary information — Official website
- Ohio Legal Help — plain-language legal information, forms, and connections to civil legal assistance — Official website
DMV
Ohio — New Ohio resident licensing and registration
Ohio — Online driver license and ID renewal (sign-in required)
Ohio statewide resources
Transportation
Road, traffic, transit, rail, aviation, project, and active-transportation information for traveling across Ohio.
- Ohio Department of Transportation — state highways, projects, transportation programs, maps, and traveler resources — Official website
- OHGO — live traffic, crashes, construction, cameras, road conditions, and travel times — Official website
- ODOT Projects — major construction projects, project information, and transportation improvements — Official website
- ODOT Maps — official state highway, county, traffic, and transportation maps — Official website
- Ohio Public Transit — public-transit program information and transit-system resources — Official website
- Active Transportation — walking, bicycling, trails, safety, and complete-streets transportation resources — Official website
- DriveOhio — connected, automated, electric, and advanced-mobility transportation initiatives — Official website
- Ohio Rail Development Commission — freight and passenger rail planning, grants, safety, and rail-development information — Official website
Postal Services
USPS location finder — Search by street address, city or ZIP Code for nearby post offices, collection boxes and available services.
USPS ZIP Code lookup — Find the mailing ZIP Code for a specific street address.
USPS Hold Mail — Arrange a temporary mail hold and review identity-verification requirements.
USPS change of address and forwarding — Review forwarding options and submit an address-change request through USPS.
USPS package pickup — Check pickup availability for your address and schedule eligible shipments.
Veterans
National services available to local residents
VA accredited representatives — Find help with VA claims and benefit applications.
VA health care applications — Review application options and supporting information.
VA disability claims — Find the official steps for submitting a disability claim.
GI Bill and education benefits — Review how to apply for VA education benefits.
Veteran career and employment support — Explore VA employment, training and career assistance.
Employment
National services available to local residents
USAJOBS federal employment — Search federal openings by location and occupation.
Apprenticeship Finder — Search apprenticeship opportunities by location and occupation.
My Next Move career exploration — Explore occupations, industries and career interests.
Government job-training resources — Find routes to state training programs and support for different job seekers.
Unemployment benefit guidance — Find your state program and its application and eligibility information.
Get to Know Ottawa County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Local Questions
Ottawa County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
39,481 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
585.077 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
Start with Voter Registration, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with Human Resources, linked from the government source used for this county. Check that page for current details before visiting or submitting a request.
Start with these official Ohio resources: Licenses & ID Cards; Registrations & Titles; New Ohio resident licensing and registration. Choose the page for the service you need, then check its office or online instructions before making a trip. These links cover state services; they do not establish that every transaction is available at a county office.
Use USPS ZIP Code Lookup for the mailing ZIP Code of a specific street address. Use the USPS location finder to search for nearby postal facilities and available services. An address lookup is more useful for mailing than assuming the entire county shares one ZIP Code.
The VA explains how to find and appoint an accredited representative for benefit claims. Contact a representative to confirm availability before appointing them. For education benefits, use the GI Bill application guidance. These are national VA services available to eligible local residents, rather than a listing of county offices.
Search USAJOBS for federal positions and the Apprenticeship Finder for apprenticeship opportunities, using location filters to narrow the results. USAGov job-training guidance points to training programs and state resources. Check each listing for current availability, eligibility and application instructions; a search result does not guarantee an opening in the county.
Ottawa County was formed in 1840. Port Clinton and Oak Harbor debated the courthouse location over many years, with the state legislature repeatedly favoring Port Clinton. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has an Amherst sandstone exterior and a prominent clock tower. The long dispute makes the seat's location part of the story rather than a simple map fact. Its architecture and waterways offer complementary ways to understand that civic identity.
Begin with Port Clinton's courthouse setting, then consider Oak Harbor's place in the county-seat debate. Lake Erie and the Portage River supply another theme for a wider outing, connecting civic history with the surrounding water landscape. A town-centered route can focus on architecture, while a separate waterfront stop supplies landscape context. Check the particular public access point instead of treating the entire shoreline as open.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 254.704 square miles of land and 330.373 square miles of water in Ottawa County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
My Local Guide
Find Something Fun
Make Time to ExploreBrowse local places by the kind of day you have in mind.
Local Businesses
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