MEDINA, OHIO

 MEDINA is a city in Medina County, Ohio, United States.  In 2009, CNN Money named Medina the 40th best American city to live in and chosen by Ohio Magazine as the best hometown in northeast Ohio for 2011.  The population was 25,139 at the 2000 census.  The 2008 projected population was estimated at 26,380.  It is the county seat of Medina County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 square miles, of which 11.1 square miles of it is land and 0.2 square miles of it (1.68%) is water.

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,139 people, 9,467 households, and 6,683 families residing in the city.  The population density was 2,259 people per square mile.  There were 9,924 housing units at an average density of 891.9/sq mi.  The racial makeup of the city was 94.60% White, 2.77% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races.  Hispanic or Latino of any race was 1.00% of the population.

There were 9,467 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families.  25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the city, the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 33 years.  For every 100 females, there were 92 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,226, and the median income for a family was $57,435.  Males had a median income of $42,437 versus $26,893 for females.  The per capita income for the city was $21,709.  About 5.1% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

Medina was founded in 1816 as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve and the county seat of Medina County.  It was originally named Mecca, but another Ohio town had that name, so the name was changed.

Most early residents were farmers.  In the 1830s, growth of the community was aided by the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal, which helped transport agricultural products to markets.  In 1869, Amos Root founded the A.I. Root Company in Medina as a manufacturer of beehives and beekeeping equipment, and the town became a center for beehive manufacturing.  The Root company had 97 workers in 1886, making it the town's largest employer.

Economy

Due to Medina's location, approximately 30 miles south of Cleveland, many residents of Medina work in the Cleveland area and the city has acquired a somewhat suburban status.

 Notable natives

• William J. Campbell, mica-based insulation pioneer
• Ryan Dunn, actor
• Scott Fahlman, computer scientist
• Greg Paulus, college basketball player for Duke University, college football quarterback for Syracuse University.
• Bobby Rahal, auto racing team owner and former driver
• Amos Ives Root, noted for innovations in beekeeping
• Ron Denbow, Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty