Why Do Business In Knox County?

QUALITY OF LIFE

THE ARTS, CULTURE, SPORTS AND RECREATION

Knox County offers unique quality living. It fosters an environment conductive to single life, family life and career. The climate lets residents absorb the beauty of all four seasons, and the outdoor recreational activities each can offer. The picturesque Kokosing Gap Trail winds alongside the Kokosing River through miles of beautiful countryside and provides a path for running, walking, bicycling, and in-line skating. Mount Vernon, the county seat of Knox County, was voted Ohio's Most Livable Community for 1994, by Ohio Magazine and boasts a beautiful downtown area that is like no other. The area of downtown known locally as the "Very Short North" offers art galleries and studios of local artists where one is sure to spend hours absorbing the amazing works of Knox County residents. The remainder of downtown Mount Vernon offers a variety of specialty shops and restaurants that are sure to please the most discriminating patron. Parks abound throughout the County providing hikers and athletes an opportunity to explore the great outdoors while participating in an activity they love. The Villages of Centerburg and Fredericktown offer quaint downtowns with specialty shops for everyone to enjoy. The Village of Gambier is home the Kenyon College and has an atmosphere all its own with great restaurants, outstanding musical and theatrical performances, and educational seminars and readings that are open to the public to encourage life-long learning. The resort area of Apple Valley consists of a 580 acre lake for swimming, boating, skiing and fishing in a gorgeous setting amongst the trees and wildlife.

CLIMATE

Knox County has an average annual temperature of 49 degrees. The annual precipitation is 36.4 inches of rainfall and 24.6 inches of snowfall. The average July temperature is 81 degrees. The average January temperature is 23 degrees.

HEALTH CARE

Since 1983, Knox Community Hospital has been the chief provider of quality health care in Knox County. This is a six-story, $30 million hospital building with 119 hospital beds. The facility has devoted sizable departments to obstetric, psychiatric, and intensive care.

The coronary care department of Knox Community Hospital is a regional leader in non-invasive cardiology. Complete diagnostic and evaluation facilities are offered, ranging from stress testing to the installation of permanent pacemakers. Up-to-date diagnostic and treatment facilities are also offered in radiology, nuclear medicine, ultra-sound, and fluoroscopic diagnostic equipment.

In 1996, the Knox Community Hospital was selected as one of the nation's top-performing hospitals by 100 Top Hospitals: Benchmark for Success. This study rates hospitals on the basis of eight key measures among which include mortality, complications, expenses per adjusted discharge, and productivity. The hospital continues to offer area residents the best in the state-of-the-art technology including a newly established voice clinic and sleep lab.

HOUSING

From the stately century old manor surrounded by wooded acreage, to the contemporary home in the new developments, Knox County offers a variety of housing for all aspects of life. Breathtaking homes with pillared balconies, ornate iron fences, brickwork, and manicured lawns are constant reminders of our rich heritage. Several condominium developments have been built over the past few years reacting to a need for upscale, low maintenance housing. If you prefer a "downtown loft" lifestyle, new condominiums are being developed to take advantage of the beautiful architecture of the existing downtown buildings while converting vacant space into contemporary living spaces.

CRIME RATE

Knox County residents enjoy living in a safer environment than the average American. Violent crime is extremely rare in the area. Most criminal offences within the country are non-violent misdemeanors.