More people moving to Athens

by Philip Elliott
Staff Writer

People are moving to Athens County, many with ties to Ohio University.

Athens County population swelled 4.5 percent from the 1990 census, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2000, Athens County was home to 62,223 people.

"The jobs are here; the people are going to stay here," Athens County Commissioner Bill Theisen said.

Government employed the bulk of those people - 39 percent - according to the Ohio County Profile, prepared by the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Strategic Research. The most recent information about Athens employment is based on a 1998 work data study.

The study included Ohio University, Hocking College and Athens City Board of Education under the government label.

And OU students constitute nearly one-third of Athens County residents, with their clout increasing during the past 10 years.

In the 1989-1990 school year, 17,290 students enrolled in OU, according to OU Office of Institutional Research. The number rose to 19,155 in 2000.

Students accounted for a greater percentage in 2000 as well. In 1990, students accounted for 29 percent of residents of Athens County. In 2000, students accounted for 31 percent of the county.

But student enrollment will not jump as quickly for the 2010 census.

"We established an enrollment cap of 20,000 students several years ago, and we will stay under that number for the foreseeable future," OU President Robert Glidden said in an e-mail message.

OU officials also consider the influence the increased student population will have on housing issues in the already tight market, Glidden said. Most students live in on-campus residence halls or off-campus housing that is within walking distance of campus.

The increased population is not going to affect OU greatly, Glidden said.

But those students account for a large part of Athens County coffers, Theisen said.

"The students have a big impact on the sales tax revenue," he said. "Students spend a lot of money."

In addition to the sales tax, new Athens residents could mean more funding for programs, Theisen said. Because many programs award funding on a per-person basis, an increased population means increased funds.

"(Funding) may increase by those related percentages," he said. "It's better than losing population."

It is also better than losing total number of jobs, something that has not happened in the past 10 years, Theisen said. Even with downsizing at Nelsonville's Rocky Shoes and Boots and the closing of Logan's Goodyear factory, Athens County has gained jobs.

About eight or nine years ago, Athens County boasted approximately 22,000 jobs, Theisen said. Athens County now offers about 27,000 jobs.

Many of those jobs are seasonal, Theisen said. Highway projects, construction or renovation for government account for most of the projects, many affiliated with OU.

In total, OU employed 3,924 faculty, staff, administrators and classified employees in 2000, an increase of 585 people from 1990, according to Institutional Research.

Those numbers do not reflect employees under external contracts, such as those used in OU's most recent project, the Bentley Hall renovation and expansion, said Leesa Brown, OU spokeswoman.

Tied to the about 5,000 more jobs in the county, Athens County unemployment rates have dropped.

In January 1990, Athens County residents posted a 7.1 percent unemployment rate, according to Economagic.com, a Web site designed to provide access to economic data for students and educators.

In January 2000, Athens County residents posted a 6.3 percent unemployment rate, according to the site.