The general atmosphere in Whitehall is one of hard work, family values, and tranquility. This indicates that the town has been actively trying to recover since 2011, when a new mayor was elected, despite a little deterioration that has been present since the mid-1990s. Kim Magard has made significant efforts to make her community a wonderful place to live and raise a family in a safe environment. She completely rebranded the city, elevating its appeal in the greater Columbus area. She even made significant changes to the municipality’s website to reflect how residents of Whitehall view it, which is positive.
Robert Brotherton of White Hall, England, originally owned the property that is now Whitehall. Abram Doney bought the property in the latter part of the 19th century. It was given the name Whitehall as it progressively evolved into a little farming village. As a village, it was incorporated in 1947. The country’s first regional shopping complex opened in Whitehall that same year. Whitehall was later constituted as a city in 1950.
A Council-Mayor system of administration is in place in the City of Whitehall, which was first constituted as a Village in 1947. The Whitehall community also elects a City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Treasurer on their own terms in office in addition to the Mayor.
The Mayor is in charge of creating the yearly budget and capital program, establishing strategic priorities, and informing the City Council of existing and upcoming community needs. The Mayor also serves as the City’s ceremonial head and chief executive officer. The Mayor appoints the director of public safety and the director of public service. The Mayor is chosen every four years and is eligible for a maximum of three terms.
The City of Whitehall’s legislative body, the City Council, is made up of eight elected members. A council president, three at-large council members who represent the entire city, and four ward council members—one from each ward—make up the council.
Whitehall is situated at 39°57′49′′N 82°52′57′′W. As per the US Census Bureau, the city is 5.29 square miles in size overall, with a land area of 5.26 square miles and a water area of 0.03 square miles, respectively. Whitehall is entirely located within the City of Columbus on the east side of town within 270. Just to the north is John Glenn International Airport, to the west are neighborhoods Mayfair, Eastmoor and Bexley, to the south are Linwood, Leawood, and Eastland, where the former Eastland Mall used to be. And to the east is Greenbriar Farm and Reynoldsburg.
With 18,944 inhabitants, Whitehall ranks as the 93rd most populous city in Ohio out of 1,263 cities. In Whitehall, the poverty rate is extremely high at 21.55% with the average household income being $50,620. The median home value is $97,100 and the average rental cost over the same time is $863 per month. Whitehall has a 31.6-year-old median age, with 30.5-year-old men and 32.8-year-old women. Diversity is very high with almost 30% of the population being African American and Hispanic or Latino at 9.9%.