Vinton County is the most rural county in Ohio.
Based on U.S. Census Bureau data and land-use metrics, it is the only county in the state classified as being 100% rural, containing zero urban areas or densely settled urban clusters of 2,500 or more residents. The entire county operates with only one single traffic light, located in McArthur.
According to data analyses tracking rural land percentages and low population densities, the top five most rural counties in the state include:
- Vinton County: 100% rural area (approx. 31.7 people per square mile)
- Monroe County: 99.8% rural area (approx. 30.6 people per square mile)
- Morgan County: 99.6% rural area
- Adams County : 99.6% rural area
- Harrison County: 99.6% rural area