RANK #133 / 996 · POP 374,199 · OH
PROJECTED GROWTH: +2.5%
Known as the "Birthplace of Professional Football," Stark County, Ohio, is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, its county seat. Located in northeastern Ohio, Canton is approximately 24 miles south of Akron and 60 miles south of Cleveland. The county offers a mix of rural and urban areas, with communities like North Canton, Massillon, and Alliance providing varied living experiences. Residents have access to over 9,300 acres of parks and more than 100 miles of trails for biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities, including Quail Hollow State Park and Sippo Lake Park.
Life in the county offers a balance of community and accessibility. Public transportation, provided by Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), connects major county locations and extends to Akron and Cleveland, with discounted fares for older adults and individuals with disabilities. The area's economy, historically rooted in manufacturing, has diversified into education, finance, healthcare, retail, and service sectors. Recent economic developments include investments in commercial and residential projects, data centers, and the energy sector, contributing to job growth and capital investment. The county also features 17 public K-12 school districts and six colleges and universities.
Below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (13x)
Housing looks undervalued at 3.5x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Hall of Fame Village Entertainment Complex
Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village
|
$900M | Under Construction |
|
Bridal Energy Storage (Battery Energy Storage System)
NextEra Energy Resources
|
$300M | Proposed |
|
Bitdeer Massillon Data Center
Bitdeer Technologies Group
|
$221M | Under Construction |
|
Stark Solar PV Project
Stark Solar, LLC (owned by Samsung C&T)
|
$150M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Stark County has a Boom Town Index score of 87/100, ranking #133 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at +1.6% and a median household income of $63,130, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Stark County is $164,900 with median rent at $838/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3828, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: -0.1% year-over-year. Job growth: +1.6%. Home values changed +4.1% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 2.24% of Stark County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.