Akron metropolitan area


The Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Greater Akron, is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as an area consisting of two counties, Summit and Portage, in Northeast Ohio and anchored by the city of Akron. As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 702,219. The Akron MSA is also part of the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 3,633,962 people as of the 2020 census, the largest metropolitan area in Ohio.
Historically, Greater Akron was known as the center of the United States' tire and rubber industry throughout the 20th century, and today one major tire company still is based there. More recently, the area has become a center of polymer science research and manufacturing for the country, and is home to five Fortune 1000 corporations.

Communities

Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants

  • Akron – 190,469

    Places with 25,000 to 100,000 inhabitants

  • Cuyahoga Falls – 51,114
  • Stow – 34,483
  • Kent – 28,215
  • Green – 27,475
  • Barberton – 25,191

    Places with 10,000 to 25,000 inhabitants

  • Aurora – 17,239
  • Brimfield Township – 10,376
  • Copley Township – 17,304
  • Coventry Township – 10,945
  • Hudson – 22,262
  • Macedonia – 11,188
  • New Franklin – 14,227
  • Norton – 12,081
  • Portage Lakes
  • Ravenna – 11,724
  • Sagamore Hills Township – 10,947
  • Springfield Township – 14,644
  • Streetsboro – 16,028
  • Tallmadge – 17,257
  • Twinsburg – 18,795

    Places with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

  • Bath Township – 9,702
  • Fairlawn – 7,437
  • Franklin Township – 6,283
  • Montrose-Ghent
  • Munroe Falls – 5,012
  • Northfield Center Township – 5,839
  • Randolph Township – 5,298
  • Ravenna Township – 9,209
  • Richfield Township – 6,165
  • Rootstown Township – 8,225
  • Shalersville Township – 5,670
  • Suffield Township – 6,311

    Places with 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants

  • Atwater Township – 2,740
  • Boston Heights – 1,300
  • Boston Township – 1,272
  • Brady Lake
  • Brimfield
  • Charlestown Township – 1,799
  • Clinton – 1,214
  • Deerfield Township – 2,822
  • Edinburg Township – 2,586
  • Freedom Township – 2,843
  • Garrettsville – 2,325
  • Hiram – 1,406
  • Hiram Township – 2,411
  • Lakemore – 3,068
  • Mantua – 1,043
  • Mantua Township – 4,811
  • Mogadore – 2,846
  • Nelson Township – 3,148
  • Palmyra Township – 2,919
  • Northfield – 3,677
  • Paris Township – 1,744
  • Reminderville – 3,404
  • Richfield
  • Silver Lake – 2,519
  • Twinsburg Township – 2,828
  • Windham – 2,209
  • Windham Township 1,865

    Places with less than 1,000 inhabitants

  • Atwater
  • Peninsula - 565
  • Pigeon Creek
  • Sugar Bush Knolls – 177
  • Suffield

    Unincorporated places

  • Diamond
  • Ghent
  • Hammond's Corners
  • Montrose
  • Wayland

    Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 703,200 people, 279,518 households, and 181,540 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 84.8% White, 11.9% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population. 3.4% of the population were reported as foreign born, and 5.4% reported speaking a language other than English as the primary language in the home. In the MSA the population was spread out, with 18.7% the age of 14 or under, 14.4% from 15 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males.
The median family income in 2007 dollars in the MSA was $61,537, and the median household income in the MSA was $47,336. Males had a median income of $38,776 versus $26,532 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $36,564 in 2007 dollars.
County2020 Census2010 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Summit County--
Portage County--

Economy

, the Akron metropolitan area serves as the corporate headquarters of 3 Fortune 1000 firms :
Other large employers include:

Airports

The Akron metropolitan area is served by the following international, regional and county airports:
In Summit County, public transportation is available through the METRO Regional Transit Authority system, which has a fleet of over two hundred buses and trolleys and operates local routes as well as running commuter buses into downtown Cleveland. The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority operates throughout Portage County and also runs an express route connecting the University of Akron with Kent State University.

Education

  • University of Akron, located in Akron; a large regional public research university with about 15,000 students. It serves as Summit County's largest university and one of the largest employers.
  • Kent State University, located in Kent; a large regional public research university with about 35,000 students. It serves as Portage County's largest university and employer.
  • Hiram College, located in Hiram in northwestern Portage County; a small liberal arts college of around 1,200 students.
  • The Northeast Ohio Medical University, located in Rootstown, in the south-central part of the county. It serves students from Kent State University, the University of Akron, Youngstown State University, and Cleveland State University.

    Media

Print

The Akron area is served in print by the daily Akron Beacon Journal, formerly the flagship newspaper of the Knight Newspapers chain; the weekly "The Akron Reporter"; and the weekly West Side Leader newspapers and the monthly magazine Akron Life. The Buchtelite newspaper is published by the University of Akron.

TV

Akron is part of the Cleveland-Akron-Canton TV market, the 18th largest market in the U.S. Within the market, WEAO, WVPX, and WBNX-TV are licensed to Akron. However, while WEAO serves the city of Akron specifically, WBNX and WVPX identify themselves as Akron/Cleveland, serving the entire market. Akron has no native news broadcast, having lost its only news station when the former WAKC became WVPX in 1996. WVPX and Cleveland's WKYC later provided a joint news program, which was cancelled in 2005.

Radio

While part of a combined TV market with Cleveland, the Akron area is its own radio market, and served by WZIP 88.1, WSTB 88.9, WKSU 89.7, WAPS 91.3, WKJA 91.9, WQMX 94.9, WONE 97.5, WKDD 98.1, WNIR-FM 100.1, WHLO 640, WCUE 1150, and WAKR 1590/93.5.

Culture

Theaters and concert venues

National parks

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

is a national park located in Summit County and lies between the major Ohio cities of Cleveland and Akron. It is the only national park located in Ohio and consists of over 33,000 acres. Waterfalls, rolling hills, caves, winding river scenery attract many park visitors. Over 125 miles of trails traverse the steep narrow ravines, rolling floodplain, and lush farmland throughout the park. The park offers an array of preserved and restored displays of 19th and early 20th century sustainable farming and pastoral, rural living, while catering to contemporary interests with art exhibits, outdoor concerts, and scenic excursion and special event railroad tours on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.