Wadsworth, Ohio

Geography

Wadsworth is located at 41°1′40″N 81°43′47″W (41.027867, -81.729768).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.62 square miles (27.51 km²), all land. It is located just a few miles south of the north-south continental divide.

Nearby cities include Akron and Cleveland.

Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $48,605, and the median income for a family was $58,850. Males had a median income of $41,626 versus $25,805 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,859. 5.4% of the population and 4.2% of families were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 21,567 people, 8,609 households, and 5,803 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,030.8 inhabitants per square mile (784.1/km²). There were 9,320 housing units at an average density of 877.6 per square mile (338.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 8,609 households of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.05.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

Of the city's population over the age of 25, 31.2% held a bachelor's degree or higher.

Education

Wadsworth City Schools is the single largest employer in the city. The district has benefited from the support of the community, which passed six of the last seven levies put before the voters. In addition, the district voters supported the recent Medina County Sales Tax (the first in Ohio), at a rate of 74% for the levy. According to school district Treasurer Doug Beeman, revenues for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, exceeded expenditures as the school system continues to manage the resources provided by the community.

Wadsworth High School and Wadsworth Middle School are members of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The high school and middle school mascot is the grizzly bear.

Wadsworth City School district operates eight schools. There are five elementary schools (kindergarten through grade 4), one intermediate school (grades 5 and 6), one middle school (grades 7 and 8) and one high school (grades 9 through 12). As of 2012, Wadsworth City Schools had completed a construction project in which a $115 million high school was built, along with three new elementary buildings. The total enrollment is approximately 4,849 students.

Wadsworth City Schools continue to excel in a variety of areas, including achieving a rating of “Excellent” from the Ohio Department of Education the last five years. This rating is based on the State Report Card, measuring student achievement tests, student attendance rate, and graduation rate.

The district offers a variety of extracurricular activities in which students may participate, including sports, vocal and instrumental music, Drama Club, Academic Challenge, N.F.L., Speech and Debate, Chess Club and Student Council. The district is referred to as “AAA” because students excel in “academics,” “athletics,” and the “arts.” There is also a before- and after-school child care program called Bear Cub Academy. Bear Cub is an affordable program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade; it includes homework help, enrichment, tutoring, games and activities for kids.

Parents are very active in the district, supporting numerous booster clubs for academics, sports, and band. W.H.Y.S. (Wadsworth Home Youth School) is the Parent-Teacher volunteer organization that supports the Wadsworth City School System by fostering a closer relation between home and school.

Blue Tip Festival

The Blue Tip Festival is a five-day celebration of the Wadsworth community. It starts with a parade and the lighting of a 20-foot-high, blue-tip match, which lights downtown Wadsworth during the festival's duration. The festival offers amusement rides, festival foods, midway games, contests, a local merchant's tent, and other entertainment. Additional events, such as the Wadsworth Running Club's "Matchstick 4 Mile" foot race and the "Blue Tip Idol" singing contest challenge area athletes and performers. Special events have included passenger train rides on the Blue Tip Express, Community Challenges between local organizations, big top circus performances, paint ball shooting ranges, pony rides, bingo tents, and assorted musical performances. The year 2017 will mark the 45th annual Blue Tip Festival.

The Blue Tip Festival is named after the historic strike-anywhere blue tip matches which were once manufactured in Wadsworth. While match manufacturing left Wadsworth in the 1980s, the Blue Tip Festival uses the name and giant match to affirm the community's past and celebrate the modern American city. Today, the Festival is run by a non-profit organization, staffed entirely by volunteers, referred to as the Blue Tip Festival Committee. Revenues from the festival are donated to Wadsworth area non-profit groups.

Notable people