Clinton County
County
Clinton County Courthouse in Frankfort, Indiana
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°18′N 86°29′W / 40.3°N 86.48°W / 40.3; -86.48
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	1830
Named for	DeWitt Clinton
Seat	Frankfort
Largest city	Frankfort
Area
• Total	405.25 sq mi (1,049.6 km2)
• Land	405.07 sq mi (1,049.1 km2)
• Water	0.18 sq mi (0.5 km2)  0.04%
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,190
• Density	82/sq mi (32/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	4th
Website	www.clintonco.com
Indiana county number 12

Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 33,190.^[1] The county seat is Frankfort.^[2]

History

Clinton County officially came into existence on March 1, 1830, and was named in honor of DeWitt Clinton,^[3] the sixth Governor of New York State and architect of the Erie Canal, which opened up the Upper Midwest to settlement. The act forming the county was approved by the Indiana General Assembly on January 29, 1830, and created Clinton from the eastern parts of neighboring Tippecanoe County.

Lieutenant General James F. Record was born and raised in Clinton County; Gen Record was awarded 3x Distinguished Service Crosses for his gallantry during the Vietnam War.^[4]

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 405.25 square miles (1,049.6 km²), of which 405.07 square miles (1,049.1 km²) (or 99.96%) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) (or 0.04%) is water.^[5] There is E85 in Clinton County.

Adjacent counties

• Carroll County (north)
• Howard County (northeast)
• Tipton County (east)
• Hamilton County (southeast)
• Boone County (south)
• Montgomery County (southwest)
• Tippecanoe County (west)

Cities and towns

Unincorporated towns

Extinct towns

• Berlin
• Martinsville
• Prairieville

Townships

Major highways

• Interstate 65
• U.S. Route 52
• U.S. Route 421
• Indiana State Road 26
• Indiana State Road 28
• Indiana State Road 29
• Indiana State Road 38
• Indiana State Road 39
• Indiana State Road 75

Airport

Clinton County is served by the Frankfort Municipal Airport.

Railroads

• CSX Transportation
• Norfolk Southern Railway

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Frankfort have ranged from a low of 16 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in December 1983 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1980. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.03 inches (52 mm) in February to 4.51 inches (115 mm) in June.^[6]

Government

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.^[7][8]

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.^[7][8]

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state-level circuit court.^[8]

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare a party affiliation and to be residents of the county.^[8]

Clinton County is part of Indiana's 4th congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 7 and 23;^[9] and Indiana House of Representatives district 38.^[10]