RANK #44 / 996 · POP 51,751 · OH
PROJECTED GROWTH: +3.5%
Darke County, Ohio, is perhaps best known as the birthplace of legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley, whose legacy is celebrated annually with a festival in Greenville, the county seat. Located in west-central Ohio along the Indiana border, Darke County offers a rural setting within an hour's drive of Dayton and less than two hours from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis. The flat terrain is suitable for outdoor activities like cycling and running, with over 14 miles of bike trails and numerous parks, including Shawnee Prairie Preserve. Greenville Creek also provides opportunities for kayaking and canoeing.
Life in Darke County offers a small-town atmosphere with a strong sense of community. Many residents own their homes, and the public schools are above average, with Versailles High School ranking among the top. The local economy is rooted in agriculture, with the county being a leader in corn, soybean, and egg production. Manufacturing also plays a role, with companies like Whirlpool Corporation, which produces KitchenAid stand mixers in Greenville, and Midmark Corporation, headquartered in Versailles, contributing to the economic landscape.
Harsh climate or flat terrain
Above national median (13x)
Housing looks undervalued at 3.2x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
BASF Coatings Greenville Site Investment
BASF Coatings
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Darke County has a Boom Town Index score of 96/100, ranking #44 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -0.6% and a median household income of $60,237, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Darke County is $157,800 with median rent at $731/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3817, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: -0.2% year-over-year. Job growth: -0.6%. Home values changed +6.8% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 3.19% of Darke County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.