Sen. Bernie Moreno visits Holmes County, hears residents' concerns

Sen. Bernie Moreno came to Holmes County and sat down with residents in Millersburg, where the conversation quickly centered on the practical problems that shape rural life: health care access, roads, business conditions and federal services that can feel far away from north-central Ohio.

The county’s numbers explain why those issues keep surfacing. Holmes County’s population was 44,223 in the 2020 Census and an estimated 44,970 as of July 1, 2025. Median household income stood at $76,140 in 2020-2024 dollars, 79.0% of homes were owner-occupied, and 63.5% of households had a broadband subscription. Even in a county known for tourism, farming and small business, those figures point to a place where connectivity and coverage still shape daily life.

Health care remained a central concern because 31.5% of Holmes County residents under 65 were uninsured. In a county with a large rural footprint, that kind of gap affects everything from routine checkups to emergency care, and it helps explain why local leaders keep raising medical access alongside jobs and infrastructure whenever state and federal officials visit.

Holmes County has also become a familiar listening post for Ohio politics. In an earlier visit, local leaders discussed a proposed roundabout, the state budget, unemployment fraud, health care, tourism and taxes with state lawmakers Andy Brenner and Nickie J. Antonio. Moreno’s stop fit that same pattern of elected officials using Holmes County as a place to hear directly from residents rather than deliver a scripted message.

The Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau in Millersburg has kept those local priorities front and center through monthly membership meetings, community fund-raisers and business outreach for people looking to move here, do business here or work here. The chamber is also renovating its offices to include a visitor center with public restrooms, another sign that tourism and downtown activity remain important to the county’s economy.

For Holmes County, the value of a visit like Moreno’s will be measured less by the photo opportunity than by what follows. Residents have been clear for years about the same pressures: roads, health care, broadband, taxes and the health of local businesses. In a county of just under 45,000 people, even small changes in those areas can reach every corner of the community.