Delaware County is a county in Ohio, United States, on the northern edge of the Columbus metropolitan area. It had a population of 214,124 at the 2020 census and covers 457 square miles (1,183 km2), with 443 square miles (1,150 km2) of land, centred near 40°17′N 83°01′W.
Delaware is the county seat, and its postal code is 43015. The county has 6 incorporated cities and villages, a handful of unincorporated communities, and 18 civil townships. It sits in the Eastern time zone; the county’s FIPS code is 39041.
Towns & Villages in Delaware County
Delaware County groups its population into a mix of cities, villages, and unincorporated crossroads communities spread across 18 townships. Below, “CDP” marks a census-designated place with no city government of its own, and “Unincorp.” marks a named community that is not a separate municipality.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | City · seat | Delaware | 40,873 | 43015 |
| Powell | City | Liberty / Concord | 13,214 | 43065 |
| Sunbury | Village | Berkshire | — | 43074 |
| Ashley | Village | Kingston / Oxford | — | 43003 |
| Ostrander | Village | Brown | — | 43061 |
| Galena | Village | Berkshire | — | 43021 |
| Shawnee Hills | Village | Scioto | — | 43065 |
| Radnor | Unincorp. | Radnor | — | 43066 |
| Lewis Center | CDP | Orange / Liberty | — | 43035 |
| Kilbourne | Unincorp. | Oxford | — | — |
| Cheshire | Unincorp. | Troy | — | — |
| Harlem | Unincorp. | Harlem | — | — |
| Africa | Unincorp. | Genoa | — | 43240 |
| Condit | Unincorp. | Berlin | — | — |
| Leonardsburg | Unincorp. | Troy | — | — |
| Bellepoint | Unincorp. | Delaware | — | — |
| Norton | Unincorp. | Oxford | — | — |
| Scioto Village | Unincorp. | Scioto | — | — |
Dublin, Westerville, and part of Columbus each reach into the southern edge of Delaware County, but their post offices, populations, and city halls are counted mainly in Franklin County next door — only their Delaware County fringe (largely unincorporated Genoa and Concord townships) appears here.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Liberty | — | Lewis Center, Powell (part) |
| Orange | — | Lewis Center (part) |
| Genoa | — | Africa, Westerville (part) |
| Concord | — | Powell (part) |
| Berkshire | — | Sunbury, Galena |
| Delaware | — | Bellepoint, surrounds Delaware city |
| Scioto | — | Shawnee Hills, Scioto Village |
| Berlin | — | Condit |
| Kingston | — | Ashley (part) |
| Oxford | — | Ashley (part), Kilbourne, Norton |
| Troy | — | Cheshire, Leonardsburg |
| Brown | — | Ostrander |
| Radnor | — | Radnor |
| Harlem | — | Harlem |
| Marlboro | — | — |
| Trenton | — | — |
| Porter | — | — |
| Thompson | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 43015 — Delaware (also serves Delaware Township)
- 43065 — Powell (also serves Shawnee Hills)
- 43074 — Sunbury
- 43003 — Ashley
- 43061 — Ostrander
- 43021 — Galena
- 43066 — Radnor
- 43035 — Lewis Center
- 43082 — Westerville (Delaware County fringe)
- 43240 — Columbus (Delaware County fringe, incl. Africa)
Small unincorporated crossroads such as Kilbourne, Cheshire, Harlem, Condit, and Leonardsburg have no ZIP code of their own and use a neighboring town’s postal address.
Geography
Delaware County sits mostly on flat to gently rolling till plain, drained north to south by the Olentangy River and, in the east, by Alum Creek. The Delaware Reservoir, formed by a dam on the Olentangy just north of Delaware city, and Alum Creek Lake, in the county’s east-central townships, are its two large bodies of water and popular recreation sites. The land is a mix of active farmland in the northern and eastern townships and dense suburban subdivisions in the south, closest to Columbus.
Delaware County borders Marion County to the northwest, Morrow County to the northeast, Knox County to the far northeast, Licking County to the southeast, Franklin County to the south, and Union County to the west.
Demographics
Delaware County had 214,124 residents at the 2020 census, up sharply from the 2010 count and among the fastest-growing counties in Ohio over that decade. Delaware, the county seat, is the largest place, followed by Powell. Median household income in the county runs well above the Ohio median of $67,769 — Delaware County is consistently ranked among the state’s wealthiest by that measure, driven by its Columbus-commuter suburbs in the south. Population density is roughly 480 people per square mile, though that average masks a sharp split between the dense southern townships and the still-rural north.
Economy & Local Life
Delaware County’s economy runs on two engines: Columbus-metro commuting from its southern suburbs, and a set of employers and institutions based in and around Delaware city itself, including Ohio Wesleyan University. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, one of Ohio’s biggest tourist draws, sits on the county’s southern edge along the Olentangy River near Powell. Agriculture remains significant in the county’s northern and eastern townships, with corn and soybeans the dominant crops.
History
Ohio’s government authorized Delaware County on February 10, 1808, carving it out of Franklin County; it took its name from the Delaware (Lenape) people, who had settlements along the Olentangy River before Ohio statehood. Delaware city, platted the same year, became the county seat. President Rutherford B. Hayes was born in Delaware in 1822, and his birthplace is marked in the city today. Ohio Wesleyan University, founded in 1842, has anchored the county seat’s identity as a college town ever since.
Getting There
Interstate 71 runs north–south through the county’s western half, with US 23, US 36, and US 42 covering the rest. Amtrak does not serve the county.
- Columbus — 20 miles south
- Marion — 20 miles northwest
- Mount Vernon — 25 miles northeast
- Newark — 30 miles southeast
John Glenn Columbus International Airport, in Columbus, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Delaware County, Ohio?
It is in central Ohio, directly north of Columbus, along the Olentangy River.
What is the population of Delaware County?
214,124 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Delaware County?
457 square miles (1,183 km2), including 14 square miles of water.
What is the Delaware County seat?
Delaware is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Delaware County?
Six incorporated cities and villages — Delaware, Powell, Sunbury, Ashley, Ostrander, and Galena — plus Shawnee Hills and a number of unincorporated communities across its 18 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Delaware County?
Delaware County’s main ZIP codes are 43015 (Delaware), 43065 (Powell), 43074 (Sunbury), 43003 (Ashley), 43061 (Ostrander), 43021 (Galena), and 43035 (Lewis Center), plus fringe ZIPs shared with Westerville and Columbus.
What is Delaware County known for?
It is home to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Ohio Wesleyan University, and the birthplace of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Ohio.