Stark County, Ohio Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Stark County is located in Ohio with a total population of 373,713. It is the 8th most populous county out of 88 in Ohio. The county encompasses 31 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Stark County is 41.8 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 39.7 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Stark County is $67,934. This is 5% lower than the state median of $71,389. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.5%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $186,400. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $214,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Stark County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Stark County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 7.1%. The Asian population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

25.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% lower than the state rate of 31.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Stark County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Ohio and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.