Ada, Ohio

Ada, Ohio
Village
Corner of Main Street and Buckeye Avenue in Ada
Nickname: “A Classic Ohio Village”
Location of Ada, Ohio
Location of Ada in Hardin County
Coordinates:40°46′05″N83°49′31″W / 40.76806°N 83.82528°W /40.76806; -83.82528
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Hardin
Township	Liberty
Government
•Mayor	Dave Retterer[1]
Area [2]
• Total	2.13 sq mi (5.53 km2)
• Land	2.13 sq mi (5.53 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [3]	958 ft (292 m)
Population ( 2020) [4]
• Total	5,334
• Estimate (2023)	5,302
• Density	2,499.53/sq mi (965.30/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5(Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4(EDT)
ZIP code	45810
Area code	419
FIPS code	39-00198[5]
GNISfeature ID	2397907[3]
Website	www.adaoh.org

Ada(/ˈeɪdə/AY-də^[6]) is a village inHardin County, Ohio, United States, located about 69 miles (111 km) southwest ofToledo. The population was 5,334 at the2020 census. It is the home ofOhio Northern UniversityandAda High School.

Following the 1817Treaty of Fort Meigs, theShawneeIndians held reservation land at Hog Creek near Ada. Ada itself was originally called Johnstown,plattedin 1853 by S. M. Johnson when the railroad was extended to that point.^[7]When a post office was established it was called Ada Post Office, named after the postmaster's daughter, Ada.^[8][9]The post office has been in operation since 1854.^[10]

The growth of the village is due in large part to the founding of the Ohio Normal School, now known asOhio Northern University. The University was founded in 1871 byHenry Solomon Lehr, just eighteen years after Ada was first settled. Today, Ada is the second largest incorporated community in Hardin County.

In 1910, PresidentWilliam Howard Taftvisited Ada^[11], to give the fall commencement speech at Ohio Northern University. To date, Taft is the only president to visit the village. Ada welcomedMartin Luther King Jr.to the village in January of 1968^[12], just three months before his assassination.

Ada has been noted for having one of theshortest place namesin Ohio.^[13]The NationalArbor DayFoundation has qualified Ada as aTree City USAsince 1981.

According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 2.08 square miles (5.4 km²), all land.^[14]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.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,760		—
1890	2,079		18.1%
1900	2,576		23.9%
1910	2,465		−4.3%
1920	2,321		−5.8%
1930	2,499		7.7%
1940	2,368		−5.2%
1950	3,640		53.7%
1960	3,918		7.6%
1970	5,309		35.5%
1980	5,669		6.8%
1990	5,413		−4.5%
2000	5,582		3.1%
2010	5,952		6.6%
2020	5,334		−10.4%
2023 (est.)	5,302	[4]	−0.6%
Sources:[5][15][16][17][18][19][20]

As of thecensus^[21]of 2010, there were 5,952 people, 1,729 households, and 846 families living in the village. Thepopulation densitywas 2,861.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,104.8/km²). There were 1,910 housing units at an average density of 918.3 per square mile (354.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.5%White, 1.9%African American, 0.1%Native American, 1.9%Asian, 0.7% fromother races, and 1.9% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof 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% weremarried couplesliving 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.

As of thecensus^[5]of 2000, there were 5,582 people, 1,783 households, and 850 families living in the village. The population density was 2,982.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,151.6/km²). There were 1,948 housing units at an average density of 1,040.9 per square mile (401.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.50%White, 1.58%African American, 0.13%Native American, 1.25%Asian, 0.30% fromother races, and 1.24% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof 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% weremarried couplesliving 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. Theper capita incomefor the village was $12,561. About 11.7% of families and 21.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

The village has a mayor, Dave Retterer, who has held the office since 2003.^[22]Retterer won a 6th term as mayor in 2023.

2023Ada Mayoral Election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Retterer	659	61.59%
	Democratic	Howard Fenton	377	35.26%
Majority			1,036	100%

The village also elects a Village Council, made up of six representative elected on a rotating basis.^[23]There are no term limits to municipal offices in Ada.

Ada Village Council

Councilor	Party	Year of Term End
Jeff Oestreich	Republican	2027
Linda Mason	Republican	2027
Sean Beck	Democratic	2025
Bob Simmons	Republican	2025
Jason Campbell	Republican	2025
Sheila Coressel	Democratic	2027

TheWilson Sporting GoodsNFL football manufacturing facility is located in Ada, and is the only leather football manufacturing facility in the United States.^[24]

Ada Exempted Village Public Schoolhouses grades K-12 and most of the administration.^[25]The district spends $7,701 per student annually ($925 lower than the state average).^[26]Ada High School's sports teams participate in theBlanchard Valley Conference, officially moving in 2023 after spending over fifty years in theNorthwest Conference.

Ada is the home ofOhio Northern University, a private university comprising five colleges.^[27]

Three media outlets currently operate in Ada. TheAda Heraldis a weekly newspaper, AdaIcon.com is a news website, andWOHA, a non-commercial, religious radio station owned by Holy Family Communications.^[28][29][30]

Ada Airport(FAALID:0D7) is a privately owned, public-useairportlocated 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) northwest of thecentral business districtof Ada.Ada stationformerly operated along thePennsylvania Railroadand is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.^[31]

• John Berton, computer graphics animator
• Zac Dysert, American football player
• Rollo May, anexistentialpsychologist
• Carey Orr, cartoonist
• Lee Tressel,College Football Hall of Famer