Environment
Physical Description...
Ellsworth, Ohio is situated right in between Berlin Center and Canfield at the intersection of state route 45 and state route 224 in Mahoning County. It has a total of 25.4 square miles of rural land, and only about 0.7 square miles of water. The township's climate varies greatly throughout the year. They experience approximately 35.2 inches of rainfall each year, and 35.79 inches of snowfall as well. Ellsworth, and Ohio in general have a high average of humidity at about 77.98%. The average temperature in July stands at about 83 degrees Fahrenheit, and an average low in January of about 17.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The yearly average for Ellsworth is just below that of Ohio and the rest of the United States. Below are some charts showing the yearly temperature trends, in comparison to the rest of the country.
Climate Ellsworth United States
Rainfall (in): 35.2 36.5
Snowfall (in): 35.79 25
Precipitation days: 125 100
Sunny Days: 161 205
Avg. July High: 83 86.5
Avg. Jan Low: 17.9 20.5
Comfort Index: 48 44
UV Index: 3.6 4.3
Elevation (ft): 1067 1,443
Climate Ellsworth United States
Rainfall (in): 35.2 36.5
Snowfall (in): 35.79 25
Precipitation days: 125 100
Sunny Days: 161 205
Avg. July High: 83 86.5
Avg. Jan Low: 17.9 20.5
Comfort Index: 48 44
UV Index: 3.6 4.3
Elevation (ft): 1067 1,443
The terrain of Ellsworth widely varies in such a small area. There are small lakes such as Diehl Lake, Western Reserve Lake, and Palmyra lakes, which also have contributory streams that lead to and from them like the West Branch Meander Creek. They have hills in certain areas, as well as large areas of flat land which is where you will find a large amount of the farming community located. Although the elevation maintains a fairly constant level, there are different elevations found within the township. You are able to see a map below where you can see there are areas of higher elevation as well as areas that are fairly flat. Most of the steeper elevation is found surrounding the sources of water. You can see throughout the middle of the map areas that have many changes and levels of elevation. The northwest part of the map is an area with little change in elevation, as well as most of the southern part of it.
Natural resources seem to be of great importance to a community such as Ellsworth. They utilize them as much as possible, because they are a pretty well self-sustained community. They have bodies of water, large wooded areas, and due to its location, it makes for a good environment for wind mills to be used as a source of energy (the average wind speed for Ellsworth is 16.10 mph). There is also a damn located right outside of the township where they use the water in order to power generators to create another source of energy which is also renewable and safer for the environment. This is a good move in the right direction considering 38% of homes in Ellsworth use fuel oil and kerosene as energy sources for their homes.
The inhabitants of Ellsworth put their land to many uses. Most importantly, during the appropriate months, you can see crops growing on most of the land. These crops can range from field corn, sweet corn, soy beans, to melons, squash, tomatoes, and peppers that may be grown in private gardens as well. Agriculture is a vital part of this community, and is the main source of income for some families. This provides an opportunity for individuals to buy and sell local produce. There is Lanterman's Farm located on route 224, where people are able to purchase fresh produce that were harvested from that particular farm. Many people take advantage of this and utilize the buyer-seller relationship. You can find these local farmers markets all throughout Ellsworth during the appropriate time of year. Another activity and use of land that is some what unique to Ellsworth is hunting season. Many families use this as a time to stock up on meat product that they can freeze and use for months to come. This can be particularly important over the winter months. The people of Ellsworth take great care of their land, because they depend on it.
Housing...
There are currently 2,234 occupied homes and apartments in Ellsworth, OH. 2,075 of those buildings are occupied by the owners, whereas the other 159 are occupied by renters. Only about 7% of the population in Ellsworth are renters, which is well below the national average of 31%. Overall, the conditions of the homes may not be great considering the years that most of them were built in. There were a large number of them built between 1970 and 1979, as well as 1939 and earlier. Most of the older houses have been renovated, but there are still some standing that were obviously built many years ago. Public housing is not seen in Ellsworth, although there are some low income housing in some of the surrounding cities. They offer public housing in Austintown which is 7.37 miles from Ellsworth, and there are also some options in Salem which is about 8.23 miles away. Austintown and Salem seem to have the most options for public housing and neither of them are more than 9 miles away, making them both good choices for someone who may need the assistance.
By the above chart, you are able to see that there are not many vacant homes found in Ellsworth. The only category that Ellsworth is higher than Ohio is in Vacant homes for sale. Ohio has much higher percentages in the remaining categories, and Ellsworth is lower than the state average.
~Statistics~
Median contract rent for apartments: $349
Here: $349
State: $528
Estimated median house or condo value: $147,172
Here: $147,172
Ohio: $134,600
Mean price: Detached houses: $198,222
Here: $198,222
State: $165,947
Mobile homes: $228,338
Here: $228,338
State: $32,066
Housing units in structures:
Median worth of mobile homes: $67,500
Housing units in Ellsworth township with a mortgage: 357 (28 second mortgage, 76 home equity loan, 0 both second mortgage and home equity loan)
Houses without a mortgage: 211
Extra charts can be found here to supplement the above information.
Median contract rent for apartments: $349
Here: $349
State: $528
Estimated median house or condo value: $147,172
Here: $147,172
Ohio: $134,600
Mean price: Detached houses: $198,222
Here: $198,222
State: $165,947
Mobile homes: $228,338
Here: $228,338
State: $32,066
Housing units in structures:
- One, detached: 820
- Two: 16
- 3 or 4: 11
- Mobile homes: 32
Median worth of mobile homes: $67,500
Housing units in Ellsworth township with a mortgage: 357 (28 second mortgage, 76 home equity loan, 0 both second mortgage and home equity loan)
Houses without a mortgage: 211
Extra charts can be found here to supplement the above information.
Biological & Chemical...
With Ellsworth being an all rural community, their water supply generally comes from personal wells. When they build the houses, they have to dig a well in order to have access to water. There is not a central water supply that you are able to tap into such as that of Canfield. You must choose a licensed well driller to obtain a well permit for you from the District Board of Health if city water is not available. These personal wells can allow easier access for chemicals or other harmful substances to get into the well, but doesn't mean that everyone will be affected by it. You must provide a water sample to the Board of Health that is deemed safe and drinkable before they can approve your well. The air quality in Ellsworth seems to have been improving over recent years. The EPA shows that in 2009, Ellsworth was lower than both the Ohio and National average at 37 AQI. This falls in the "good" air index category. You can see the trends over the 10 years shown that the air quality has indeed been improving. Mahoning was rated at 52 AQI in the year 2000, 47 AQI in 2003, then increased back up to 52 in 2005, but has been continually decreasing since that time.
At this time, one of the major concerns regarding pollutants and toxins is the fracking industry that has found its way into the Ellsworth area. There are many concerns that come along with this industry, because people are afraid that pollutants and contaminants will find their way into the water table. This contamination will in turn affect the peoples' wells surrounding the site. There has been arsenic, selenium, and strontium found in wells that are near the fracking sites. Concerns are being raised about this issue, but the fracking is continuing. There is also a landfill located in Ellsworth that is being reviewed by the EPA. They are looking at ways to turn the landfill around which has had large industries dumping in it for years. They are looking at trying to cover it, enhance the leachate systems for draining, intense groundwater monitoring, and also define some environmental factors that will limit use and activity. They fear that this will begin not only polluting the land in the area, but also the wells of those individuals that live nearby.
The Director’s Final Findings and Orders require the following actions: an investigation of the nature and extent of releases of contamination; an assessment of the risk to human health and the environment; and, the development and evaluation of potential remedial alternatives. -Environmental Protection Agency
There is also a "clean air interstate" rule for all of Mahoning County. This is done in an effort to reduce pollution and ground level ozone pollution. Toxins and pollutants being monitored through this program include sulfur dioxide, lead, particulate matter, and ozone. They are supposed to meet the state's emission budget by requiring power plants to participate in an EPA administered cap. Lead is important to monitor because as you saw before, a lot of the homes in Ellsworth were before 1975. Homes built before this year are of importance because most homes of that time utilized lead based paint. If that paint has not been properly exposed of, it can continue to poison those who continue to live in those homes today.
Flora & Fauna...
The flora and fauna of Ellsworth, Ohio is much of that like the rest of Mahoning County and Northeastern Ohio. Ellsworth is known to have a little more wildlife than some of its counterparts, because they have a large area of wooded areas. This makes an ideal home for a lot of animals. This also leads to the problem of the animals crossing the roads and getting hit by cars. You'll will notice while driving through Ellsworth that there is a large amount of roadkill ranging from deer, to raccoons, to opossums, and even skunks. This is a small dose of what a large variety of animals that call Ellsworth home. It is a deciduous forest area, so fauna is such as that found almost all over rural parts of Ohio. All of the wildlife can also have an affect on the farming and agriculture industry here, because the farmers can sometimes experience substantial crop damage and losses as a result of the animals. There are the large trees that survive through the winter, and you even have flowers that bloom every year in the spring. The plants and animals that are found here must be able to survive through the cold, harsh winters as well as the hot, humid summers.
The flora and fauna of Ellsworth, Ohio is much of that like the rest of Mahoning County and Northeastern Ohio. Ellsworth is known to have a little more wildlife than some of its counterparts, because they have a large area of wooded areas. This makes an ideal home for a lot of animals. This also leads to the problem of the animals crossing the roads and getting hit by cars. You'll will notice while driving through Ellsworth that there is a large amount of roadkill ranging from deer, to raccoons, to opossums, and even skunks. This is a small dose of what a large variety of animals that call Ellsworth home. It is a deciduous forest area, so fauna is such as that found almost all over rural parts of Ohio. All of the wildlife can also have an affect on the farming and agriculture industry here, because the farmers can sometimes experience substantial crop damage and losses as a result of the animals. There are the large trees that survive through the winter, and you even have flowers that bloom every year in the spring. The plants and animals that are found here must be able to survive through the cold, harsh winters as well as the hot, humid summers.
Access to food supply can have varying views when you take a look at what's accessible to the residents of Ellsworth. Depending on the time of year, depends on exactly how accessible and available food can be. There are only 2 local gas stations that sell the bare minimums when it comes to food. There you can find bread, milk, beverages, and a few frozen food items. During the summer time, you are able to find and buy fresh produce from the local farmers markets that are located here. In the winter, however, it is difficult to find places such as these to purchase food. Another option that many people promote is the raising of livestock in order to sustain a source of food throughout the winter months. The may have the animals butchered and stored in their freezer as an available source of meat at their own discretion The only "restaurant" that is located in Ellsworth is G's Pizza World, which is just a small pizza shop with a limited menu. In order to go to a grocery store, it is essential to go to nearby cities such as Austintown, Canfield, or even Salem. It takes about 15 minutes and is about 8 miles to the nearest grocery store. You can go to Giant Eagle in Canfield or Salem and/or Wal-Mart Superstore in Austintown or Salem as well.
Zoning and Sanitation...
As far as sewage and waste removal is concerned, the residents of Ellsworth have their own septic systems that are located on their own private properties. There is not a central sewage system in place, so you must obtain a septic permit from the Mahoning Country District Board of Health to deem the property suitable for a household treatment sewage system. The septic systems are self-maintained, and sometimes companies need to come out and drain them, or unclog them in order to prevent back-up and improper disposal.
As far as sewage and waste removal is concerned, the residents of Ellsworth have their own septic systems that are located on their own private properties. There is not a central sewage system in place, so you must obtain a septic permit from the Mahoning Country District Board of Health to deem the property suitable for a household treatment sewage system. The septic systems are self-maintained, and sometimes companies need to come out and drain them, or unclog them in order to prevent back-up and improper disposal.
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Strengths
- Better air quality than the national average.
- Lower rent agreements than the Ohio average.
- Higher home/condo value than the state average.
- Lower UV index than the national level.
- Self-sufficent operating community.
- Very diverse in regards to flora and fauna.
Weaknesses
- Higher average snowfall and rainfall than the state average.
- Higher incidence of fracking and risk for pollution.
- Need a septic permit in order to put a system into place.
- Limited access to low-income housing.
- Limited access to a reliable food supply.
- Very few grocery stores, or other businesses to maintain the community.
References
- http://www.city-data.com/township/Ellsworth-Mahoning-OH.html
- http://www.ellsworthohio.com.html
- http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/mahoning/history-ellsworthtwp.html
- http://www.bestplaces.net/city/ohio/ellsworth-township
- http://www.altenergymag.com/emagazine/2010/06/case-study--western-reserve-wind-project/1504
- http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/49053.pdf
- http://www.publichousing.com/city/oh-ellsworth
- http://www.usa.com/ellsworth-oh.htm
- http://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/OH/Ellsworth/Ellsworth-Demographics.html
- http://ofbf.org/counties/
- http://www.mahoningcountyoh.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=F%2Fm7qtOCzsE%3D&tabid=3109