Stark County, Ohio

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Stark County
County
Stark County Courthouse (Canton, OH) edit.JPG
Stark County Courthouse
Flag of Stark County, Ohio.png
Flag
Seal of Stark County Ohio.svg
Seal
Map of Ohio highlighting Stark County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio in United States.svg
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°49′N81°22′W / 40.81°N 81.37°W / 40.81; -81.37
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Ohio.svg  Ohio
FoundedJanuary 1, 1809
Named for John Stark
Seat Canton
Largest cityCanton
Area
 • Total
581 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land575 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Water5.3 sq mi (14 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
374,853
 • Estimate 
(2021)
373,834 Decrease2.svg
 • Density650/sq mi (250/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts 6th, 13th
Website www.starkcountyohio.gov

Stark County is a county located in the northeastern part of U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 374,853. [1] Its county seat is Canton. [2] The county was created in 1808 and organized the next year. [3] It is named for John Stark, an officer in the American Revolutionary War. [4]

Contents

Stark County is included in the Canton-Massillon, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area.

History

Stark County was named in honor of American Revolutionary War General John Stark. John Stark (August 28, 1728 – May 8, 1822) was a general who served in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.

In the 1760s and 1770s Moravian missionaries from Pennsylvania came to preach the gospel to the native people, and also to lead and resettle already converted native people migrating away from whites encroaching on their land in Pennsylvania. The earliest of these were Christian Frederick Post and John Heckewelder. See also the history of neighboring Tuscarawas County, Ohio

The first permanent settlements were established in 1805, beginning with Canton. Possibly 80% of the early settlers were German-speakers from Pennsylvania, although others came from Virginia, New York, and New England. Lumbering and sawmills were important early industries, to cater to the enormous demand for lumber from the incoming settlers. Stark County was originally part of Columbiana County, but was split off in 1807.

At the start of the Civil War the men of Stark County were quick to volunteer to preserve the Union. As of 1862 over 1,100 had enlisted. [5]

During the early 20th century, Stark County was an important location in the early development of professional football. The rivalry between the Massillon Tigers and Canton Bulldogs helped bring the Ohio League to prominence in the mid-1900s (decade) and again in the late 1910s. The Bulldogs ended up a charter member of the National Football League, where it played for several years. (The role Stark County had in developing the game is part of the reason the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton.) Two relatively large football stadiums, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton and Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon, are still in use (albeit now mostly for high school football), with Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium hosting the NFL's annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game each year.

In the later 20th century, Stark County's voting record swung from one party to another, closely tracking the winner of the U.S. Presidential election. Even within the swing state of Ohio, Stark County is regarded as a quintessential bellwether, and thus presidential candidates have typically made multiple visits to the region. Major media outlets typically pay close attention to the election results in the county. The New York Times in particular has covered the county's citizens and their voting concerns in a series of features each election cycle for over a decade.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 581 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 575 square miles (1,490 km2) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water. [6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1810 2,734—
1820 12,406353.8%
1830 26,588114.3%
1840 34,60330.1%
1850 39,87815.2%
1860 42,9787.8%
1870 52,50822.2%
1880 64,03121.9%
1890 84,17031.5%
1900 94,74712.6%
1910 122,98729.8%
1920 177,21844.1%
1930 221,78425.1%
1940 234,8875.9%
1950 283,19420.6%
1960 340,34520.2%
1970 372,2109.4%
1980 378,8231.8%
1990 367,585−3.0%
2000 378,0982.9%
2010 375,586−0.7%
2020 374,853−0.2%
2021 (est.)373,834 [7] −0.3%
U.S. decennial census [8]
1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10]
1990–2000 [11] 2010-2020 [1]

2000 census

As of the census [12] of 2000, there were 378,098 people, 148,316 households, and 102,782 families living in the county. The population density was 656 inhabitants per square mile (253/km2). There were 157,024 housing units at an average density of 272 units per square mile (105 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.28% white, 7.20% black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 148,316 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,824, and the median income for a family was $47,747. Males had a median income of $37,065 versus $23,875 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,417. About 6.80% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 375,586 people, 151,089 households, and 100,417 families living in the county. [13] The population density was 652.9 inhabitants per square mile (252.1/km2). There were 165,215 housing units at an average density of 287.2 units per square mile (110.9 units/km2). [14] The racial makeup of the county was 88.7% white, 7.6% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population. [13] In terms of ancestry, 33.6% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 10.1% were English, 10.1% were Italian, and 7.7% were American. [15]

Of the 151,089 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 41.1 years. [13]

The median income for a household in the county was $44,941 and the median income for a family was $55,976. Males had a median income of $44,238 versus $31,896 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,015. About 9.5% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over. [16]

Politics

[ citation needed ]

Stark County has often been described as "the swing county, in the swing state" when it comes to presidential elections. Locally, it has generally been a strong Republican area, but that changed in the 1990s and into the 2000s, where it remained highly competitive for both parties. In 1992, it became a swing county that tilted Democratic, and over the next 15–20 years more local office holders were Democrats. That has changed, however, in the last 10 years or so, beginning in 2010. Republicans now hold most of the local elected positions. Starting in 2016, the county began shifting more and more Republican, with Trump comfortably winning the county in all three of his presidential bids, each by a bigger margin than the last.

United States presidential election results for Stark County, Ohio [17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 111,47860.52%71,09038.60%1,6250.88%
2020 111,09758.44%75,90439.93%3,0921.63%
2016 98,38855.85%68,14638.68%9,6315.47%
2012 88,58148.74%89,43249.21%3,7332.05%
2008 86,74346.14%96,99051.59%4,2772.27%
2004 92,21548.93%95,33750.59%9070.48%
2000 78,15348.89%75,30847.11%6,3833.99%
1996 60,21238.03%73,43746.38%24,69715.60%
1992 61,86335.33%70,06440.02%43,16524.65%
1988 87,08755.08%69,63944.05%1,3700.87%
1984 98,43459.69%65,15739.51%1,3250.80%
1980 87,76955.87%59,00537.56%10,3326.58%
1976 72,60749.83%70,01248.05%3,0902.12%
1972 92,11062.74%51,56535.12%3,1352.14%
1968 68,41447.88%57,67540.36%16,79911.76%
1964 53,63237.68%88,70462.32%00.00%
1960 82,88155.22%67,20544.78%00.00%
1956 83,66762.85%49,44537.15%00.00%
1952 74,92957.66%55,03142.34%00.00%
1948 51,48251.40%47,53347.46%1,1351.13%
1944 51,50647.30%57,39352.70%00.00%
1940 46,38443.81%59,49656.19%00.00%
1936 34,69335.91%57,93159.96%3,9884.13%
1932 40,67251.06%35,75744.89%3,2254.05%
1928 59,56470.85%23,84028.36%6710.80%
1924 40,85864.28%12,54419.74%10,16015.98%
1920 37,48362.88%18,43730.93%3,6886.19%
1916 14,15945.23%15,31648.93%1,8285.84%
1912 6,03322.57%9,90837.07%10,78840.36%
1908 14,11250.48%12,28643.95%1,5595.58%
1904 15,69565.46%6,91928.86%1,3615.68%
1900 13,16554.12%10,65143.79%5092.09%
1896 12,11151.13%11,33947.87%2350.99%
1892 9,23144.79%10,22749.63%1,1505.58%
1888 8,76347.29%9,09449.07%6743.64%
1884 8,31549.62%7,95547.47%4872.91%
1880 7,26450.21%6,96548.14%2381.65%
1876 6,41048.16%6,77250.88%1280.96%
1872 5,81752.30%5,25047.20%550.49%
1868 5,60153.10%4,94846.90%00.00%
1864 4,79752.84%4,28247.16%00.00%
1860 4,06452.98%2,82036.76%78710.26%
1856 3,77050.73%3,63348.88%290.39%

Government

Elected officials [18]

Education

Colleges and universities

Technical/Career centers

Public school districts

Private school districts

High schools

Communities

Map of Stark County, Ohio with municipal and township labels Map of Stark County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels.PNG
Map of Stark County, Ohio with municipal and township labels

Cities

Villages

Townships

Prior to 1815, Stark County consisted of only eight large townships. [19] After a number of partitions and a few transfers between counties, the townships are:

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greene County, Ohio</span> County in Ohio, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carroll County, Ohio</span> County in Ohio, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrollton, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

Carrollton is a village in and the county seat of Carroll County, Ohio, United States, located 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Canton. The population was 3,087 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leesville, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canal Fulton, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Canal Fulton is a city in western Stark County, Ohio, United States, along the Tuscarawas River. The population was 5,325 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canton, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Canton is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio, United States. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) south of Cleveland and 20 miles (32 km) south of Akron in Northeast Ohio on the edge of Ohio's Amish Country. As of the 2020 census, the population of Canton was 70,872, making Canton eighth among Ohio cities in population. It is the largest municipality in the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties, and was home to 401,574 residents in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Canton, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

East Canton is a village in central Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,521 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Sparta, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

East Sparta is a village in southern Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 749 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greentown, Ohio</span> Census-designated place in Ohio, United States

Greentown is a census-designated place in northern Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,382 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hills and Dales, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

Hills and Dales is a village in central Stark County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburban enclave near Canton. Hills and Dales is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area. The population was 250 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massillon, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navarre, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

Navarre is a village in southwestern Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,846 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Canton, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

North Canton is a city in central Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 17,842 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniontown, Ohio</span> CDP in Ohio, United States

Uniontown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,173 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waynesburg, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

Waynesburg is a village in southern Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 925 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnolia, Ohio</span> Village in Ohio, United States

Magnolia is a village in Carroll and Stark counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,013 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Ohio: Individual County Chronologies". Ohio Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Stark County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Retrieved April 28, 2007.[ dead link ]
  5. ↑ Perrin, William Henry (1881). History of Stark County, with an outline sketch of Ohio. Chicago: Baskin & Battey. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Census.gov . Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  10. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  15. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  17. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  18. ↑ Stark County Elected Officials Archived September 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ U.S. GenWeb: Ohio, Stark County, accessed February 2018.

40°49′N81°22′W / 40.81°N 81.37°W / 40.81; -81.37

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