Census Data for Martins Ferry
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Martins Ferry a population of 6,513 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Martins Ferry a population of 6,915 people.
The city of Martins Ferry is located in Belmont County. The 2010 Census gave Belmont County; a population of 70,333 people. This means that Martins Ferry had 9.83% of the county's total population, making it Belmont's most populous community.
At the same time, Ohio had a population of 11,536,504 people, meaning that Martins Ferry had 0.06% of the total population of Ohio - making it the state's 209th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Martins Ferry has a total area of 2.33 square miles [6 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0 square miles [0 km²]).
Belmont County has a land area of 532 square miles [1,378.2 km²]. At 2.33 square miles [6 km²], Martins Ferry has 0.44% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Martins Ferry, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
- Things like population, area and housing for Martins Ferry reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Martins Ferry might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 40° 6' 19" (or 40.11°)
- Lon: -80° 43' 42" (or -80.73°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Martins Ferry had 3,431 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 6,915 people, this averages 2.02 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Martins Ferry had a land area of 2.33 square miles [6 km²]. This translates to 1,471 Housing Units per square mile [568 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Martins Ferry had 3,680 Housing Units, a population of 7,226 people and a land area of 2.16 square miles [5.6 km²]. This gives a density of 1.96 people per Housing Unit and 1,703 Housing Units per square mile [657 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Martins Ferry and you need to be careful when comparing values between the censuses. More information about the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Belmont County ...
Martins Ferry<4> is located in Belmont County<5>.
The county had a population of 70,333 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 6,915 people, Martins Ferry represented 9.83% of the county's total.
In addition, where the city of Martins Ferry has a population density of 2,966 people per square mile [1,145 people/km²], Belmont County averages 132.2 people per square mile [51 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Belmont County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Martins Ferry, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Martins Ferry. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Martins Ferry or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Martins Ferry, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Martins Ferry.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 40.105316° (or 40°6'19" N)
- Lon: -80.728574° (or -80°43'42" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 40.099122° (or 40°5'56" N)
- Lon: -80.725154° (or -80°43'30" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 2,451 feet to the northwest<6> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2395030) to Martins Ferry. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Martins Ferry. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 40.101694° (or 40°6'6" N)
- Lon: -80.725293° (or -80°43'31" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 1,606 feet to the northwest<7> of the point given by the GNIS for Martins Ferry. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Martins Ferry.
Miscellaneous Information for Martins Ferry ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Belmont County or the city of Martins Ferry:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 39 (Ohio)
- County Code: 013 (Belmont County)
- Place Code: 48104 (Martins Ferry)
- State & County Code: 39/013 (Ohio / Belmont County)
- State & Place Code: 39/48104 (Ohio / Martins Ferry)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Martins Ferry is located in Census Region #2 (the Midwest Region) and Division #3 (the East North-Central Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Martins Ferry.
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Martins Ferry. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Belmont County: www.belmontcountyohio.org/
The official website for State of Ohio: https://ohio.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | It's a common practice for mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names. So Martins Ferry may originally have been Martin's Ferry. Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Martins Ferry might be written as Martin Ferry. For more information, please visit our Genealogy Helper Page for Martins Ferry. |
| <5> | If you're interested in how the shape of Ohio's counties, including Belmont, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 22 degrees and a distance of 2,451 feet. |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 34 degrees and a distance of 1,606 feet. |