Geauga County is a county in Ohio, United States, in the northeastern part of the state, about
30 miles east of downtown Cleveland. It had a population of 95,397 at the 2020 census, an
estimated 95,676 by 2024, and covers 400 square miles (1,036 km2) of land centred near
41°30′N 81°10′W.
Chardon is the county seat and the county’s only city; its postal code is 44024. The county
holds 1 city, 4 incorporated villages, 4 census-designated places and 19 unincorporated
communities across 16 townships, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS code is 39055.
Towns & Villages in Geauga County
Geauga County has 28 named places on record: Chardon as the sole city, four incorporated
villages, four census-designated places (CDPs, unincorporated but Census-recognized), and 19
smaller unincorporated communities with no local government of their own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chardon | City · seat | Chardon | 5,242 | 44024 |
| Chesterland | CDP | Chester | 7,074 | 44026 |
| South Russell | Town | Russell | 3,972 | — |
| Middlefield | Town | Middlefield | 2,748 | 44062 |
| Burton | Town | Burton | 1,407 | 44021 |
| Hunting Valley | Town | — | 763 | 44022 / 44040 |
| Bainbridge | CDP | Bainbridge | — | — |
| Bass Lake | CDP | Munson | — | — |
| Parkman | CDP | Parkman | — | — |
| Aquilla | Unincorp. | Claridon | — | — |
| Bostwick | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bundysburg | Unincorp. | Huntsburg | — | — |
| Claridon | Unincorp. | Claridon | — | — |
| East Claridon | Unincorp. | Claridon | — | — |
| Fowlers Mill | Unincorp. | Munson | — | — |
| Fullertown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hambden | Unincorp. | Hambden | — | — |
| Huntsburg | Unincorp. | Huntsburg | — | — |
| Materials Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Montville | Unincorp. | Montville | — | — |
| Newbury Center | Unincorp. | Newbury | — | 44065 |
| Novelty | Unincorp. | Russell | — | — |
| Popes Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Russell Center | Unincorp. | Russell | — | — |
| South Newbury | Unincorp. | Newbury | — | 44065 |
| South Thompson | Unincorp. | Thompson | — | — |
| Thompson | Unincorp. | Thompson | — | — |
| Welshfield | Unincorp. | Troy | — | — |
Two places on this list are easy to mix up. Hunting Valley is split between Cuyahoga and
Geauga counties, and most of its land and population sit on the Cuyahoga side — the village
was incorporated in 1924 from the northeast quadrant of the old Orange Township, which is a
Cuyahoga County township, not a Geauga one. And Chardon Township is a separate unit of
government from the city of Chardon it surrounds — the two share a name and a border but not
a government.
Townships
Geauga County has 16 civil townships. Populations below are 2020 census figures for the full
township, including any CDP inside it; incorporated villages and the city of Chardon are counted
separately and are not part of a township’s population.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Bainbridge | 12,893 | Bainbridge CDP |
| Chester | 9,957 | Chesterland CDP |
| Munson | 7,087 | Bass Lake CDP, Fowlers Mill |
| Auburn | 6,574 | no incorporated place or CDP |
| Russell | 5,404 | Novelty, Russell Center |
| Newbury | 5,244 | Newbury Center, South Newbury |
| Hambden | 4,676 | Hambden |
| Middlefield | 4,525 | village of Middlefield (separately incorporated) |
| Chardon | 4,494 | surrounds the city of Chardon on three sides |
| Parkman | 4,446 | Parkman CDP |
| Burton | 4,379 | village of Burton (separately incorporated) |
| Huntsburg | 3,657 | Huntsburg, Bundysburg |
| Claridon | 3,103 | Claridon, East Claridon, Aquilla |
| Troy | 2,778 | Welshfield |
| Thompson | 2,144 | Thompson, South Thompson |
| Montville | 1,938 | Montville, source of the Cuyahoga River |
ZIP Codes
- 44024 — Chardon (also covers Aquilla and other rural Claridon Township addresses)
- 44026 — Chesterland
- 44062 — Middlefield
- 44021 — Burton
- 44022 — Hunting Valley, shared with neighboring Cuyahoga County addresses
- 44040 — Hunting Valley’s Moreland Hills-side properties
- 44065 — Newbury Center and South Newbury
South Russell has no ZIP code of its own; mail there is delivered under the neighboring
Chagrin Falls code, 44022, even though Chagrin Falls itself sits across the line in Cuyahoga
County. Bainbridge, Bass Lake, Parkman and most of the county’s smaller unincorporated
communities likewise use a neighboring incorporated town’s ZIP rather than one of their own.
Geography
Geauga County sits on the Allegheny Plateau in Ohio’s snowbelt, a rolling upland east of
Cleveland that catches heavy lake-effect snow off Lake Erie. Of its 400 square miles, about 392
are land and 8.1 square miles are water, close to 2.0 percent — mostly ponds and reservoirs,
since the county has no single large natural lake. Three Ohio-designated scenic rivers begin
within the county: the Cuyahoga River rises in Montville Township, and the Chagrin and Grand
Rivers also have their headwaters here.
Lake County lies to the north, Ashtabula County to the east, Trumbull County to the southeast,
Cuyahoga County to the west, and Summit County to the southwest; Portage County borders a short
stretch to the south. Lake County,
Ashtabula County,
Trumbull County,
Cuyahoga County and
Summit County all have posts on
this site; Portage County does not.
Demographics
Geauga County had a population of 95,397 at the 2020 census, and the latest estimate puts the
county near 95,676 residents. Chesterland, an unincorporated CDP, is the county’s largest single
community at 7,074 people — larger than Chardon, the county seat and its only incorporated
city, at 5,242. Median household income runs $107,860, well above Ohio’s statewide figure of
$67,769 (2023 ACS). Population density works out to roughly 244 people per square mile of land,
moderate for a Cleveland-area county and reflecting Geauga’s large lot-size zoning and sizable
Amish farming population, estimated at about 20 percent of county residents as of 2017.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 7,640 people, followed by health
care and social assistance at 6,494 and construction at 5,268. Middlefield, the center of the
county’s Amish settlement, hosts KraftMaid’s cabinet plant, Duncan Toys, Gold Key Processing and
the Middlefield Cheese House, which has operated since 1956. Chardon’s economy centers on
county government and the courthouse square. The county’s biggest annual event is the Geauga
County Maple Festival, a four-day celebration on Chardon Square held the last weekend of April
— the county is one of Ohio’s top maple syrup producers.
History
The Ohio legislature organized Geauga County on 1 March 1806. Its name comes from an Onondaga
or Seneca word meaning “raccoon,” originally applied to the Grand River before it was
transferred to the county. Burton, settled in 1798, is the county’s oldest community; the
Geauga Historical Society’s Century Village there preserves 19th-century buildings moved from
around the county.
A fire destroyed downtown Chardon, including the county courthouse, in July 1868; the
replacement courthouse, completed in 1869, still stands on Chardon Square today. Burton also
housed Ohio’s first telephone exchange, opened in 1877.
Getting There
No interstate highway crosses Geauga County; the nearest, Interstate 90, runs through
neighboring Lake and Ashtabula counties to the north. US Route 6, US Route 322 and US Route 44
cross the county, along with State Route 44, State Route 87 and State Route 306.
- Cleveland — about 30 miles west
- Akron — about 35 miles southwest
- Warren — about 25 miles southeast
- Painesville — about 15 miles north
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, roughly 35 miles west of Chardon, is the nearest
major commercial airport. Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited stop at Cleveland’s
Lakefront Station, about 30 miles from the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Geauga County located?
It sits on the Allegheny Plateau in northeastern Ohio, about 30 miles east of downtown
Cleveland, bordered by Lake, Ashtabula, Trumbull, Portage, Cuyahoga and Summit counties.
What is the population of Geauga County?
95,397 at the 2020 census, with a 2024 estimate near 95,676.
How big is Geauga County?
400 square miles (1,036 km2) in total, of which about 392 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Geauga County?
Chardon is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns and villages are in Geauga County?
One city (Chardon), four incorporated villages (Burton, Hunting Valley, Middlefield and South
Russell), four census-designated places, and 19 smaller unincorporated communities across 16
townships.
What ZIP codes does Geauga County use?
44024 for Chardon, 44026 for Chesterland, 44062 for Middlefield, 44021 for Burton, 44022 and
44040 for Hunting Valley, and 44065 for Newbury Center and South Newbury.
What is Geauga County known for?
Maple syrup production and the annual Geauga County Maple Festival in Chardon, plus one of
Ohio’s largest Amish communities, centered on Middlefield.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Ohio.