Toby, thanks for commenting on my post about going on vacation.  I noticed this nice post of yours, and then looked down to see that you have several short and sweet ones.  Great job!  Most of the shorties on ActiveRain have little or no content, but yours all do. 

That picture looks like every village I drove through on my last trip to Ohio. I just marvel at the sandstone and the workmanship.  It could never be produced again.

Margaret - Thanks. I came from a journalistic background where you learn the difference between a feature and a blurb.

Chris - Doesn't it? While the downtowns are all different in all these villages, a lot of them have been able to retain that classic charm that creates for a wonderful streetscape when it can be preserved. 

Toby, I would have thought that Knox County might have made the list because of the lower prices for the village homes.  There are not many places I know where consumers can buy a building lot with public utilities for $3,500 to $5,000.

Sam,

I thought a similar thing. Though, I believe that they were looking at existing housing for the ratios. All the chart says is "home price and income ratios".

Paulding

• Estimated Population (2005): 19,311
• Estimated Median Income (2005): $42,285
• Estimated House/Condo Price (2005): $95,169

Knox

• Estimated Population (2005): 53,398
• Estimated Median Income: $41,285
• Estimated Median House/Condo Price: $118,768

Using a very simple estimated house divided by estimated income ratio, Paulding County residents median home price is 2.25 times their estimated salary in a year; while in Knox County it would be 2.88.

However, I totally agree on the Apple Valley lots. I can't understand WHY people aren't gobbling those things up. Where else could you get 1 acre with a lake view for about $30,000?

Toby- What a great savings of tax payers dollars to build a building for $40,000 ! That is amazing! Here in our county the powers that be love to spend our money! Katerina

glass block transom and my favorite...keystones. This really is a pretty Courthouse. the $40k rocks!

Katerina - Of course we have to remember that was in 1886 when I'm sure $40,000 was a lot more money than it is today. Though you only have to go a few counties east to Tiffin to see the power's that be abusing the public coffers.

Carole - I love the courthouses of Ohio. One of my "things to do before I die" is finish the "Ohio County Courthouse Project" the concept was started in 2001 when I went around and visited all the court houses. With the current situation in Tiffin, I'm thinking I might need to start doing that again. They could tear it down in the middle of the night and it would be gone. Lost forever. Having walked through the bowels of the place looking for an office when I lived there, I can agree it is a dump. But when restoration is cheaper than demolition and rebuild -- why in the world wouldn't you do it. ...