| Official Name: | Prairie Township, Franklin County, Ohio |
| Settlement Type: | Township |
| Motto: | "Building FUN, Healthy Community!" |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ohio |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Franklin |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 49.5 |
| Area Land Km2: | 49.2 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.3 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 17415 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [2] |
| Elevation M: | 280 |
| Elevation Ft: | 919 |
| Coordinates: | 39.9514°N -83.1542°W |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 39-64570[3] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1086113 |
Prairie Township is one of the seventeen townships of Franklin County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 17,415. Prairie Township is on the far west side of Franklin County touching the east side of Madison County.
Located in the western part of the county, the township consists of several parts:
These various parts have the following borders:
Most of eastern Prairie Township is occupied by the city of Columbus, the county seat of Franklin County. Several populated places are located in the unincorporated areas of the township:
Statewide, the only other Prairie Township is located in Holmes County.
Prairie Township was organized in 1819.[4]
The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Prairie Township adopted a limited home rule form of government (ORC Section 504) in 2002. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer,[5] who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.
Some areas of this township are in the Hilliard City School District.[6]
Other areas of this township are in the South-Western City School District (Franklin County, Ohio).[7]
The Westland Area Library of the Southwest Public Libraries is located in the Township.
Prairie Township features six neighborhood parks and a 111-acre sports complex (currently under construction).
The Community Center opened in June 2015 and has an indoor swimming pool, indoor walking track, fitness area and gymnasium.
The Recreation Department hosts annual events including the Pumpkin Swim, Trick or Treat Trail, Holiday Tree Lighting, Touch A Truck, and Discover the Greater Prairie.