[3] Its name derives from the Pekowi band of Shawnee Indians, who inhabited the area.

The Scioto River flows southward through the center of Pickaway County.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills carved with drainages; all available areas (87%)[4] are devoted to agriculture.

[5] The terrain's highest point (1,090' or 332 m ASL) lies on the county's east border, 2.4 miles (3.9 km) east-northeast of Hargus Lake.

Prior to 1952, Pickaway County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections, only backing two Republican candidates for president from 1856 to 1948.

Starting with the 1952 election, it has become a Republican Party stronghold, with the sole Democrat to win the county in a presidential election since then being Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 in the midst of his statewide & national landslide victory.

Opened in the 1950s, it produces Mylar and Tedlar plastic films, the latter used extensively in the production of photovoltaic modules.

[19][20] Other manufacturing concerns in Circleville or surrounding Pickaway County include Aleris, a producer of rolled and extruded aluminum products,[21] and Florida Production Engineering (FPE), producing plastic injection molded components for the automotive industry.

[22] Georgia-Pacific, a manufacturer of paperboard containers and other paper products, has a plant located south of Circleville.

The PPG Industries Circleville plant is the company's center for polymer resin production, primarily for automotive applications.

[23] Other major employers include Berger Health System; Circleville City, Teays Valley Local and Logan Elm Local School districts; Circle Plastics/TriMold LLC; the State of Ohio; and Wal-Mart Stores.

[18] Businesses that formerly operated include the Jefferson-Smurfit paper mill,[24] a 300-acre site, that is being redeveloped.

[29] Logan Elm consists of the area in Southeastern Pickaway County.