Massillon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Canton
Massillon
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
30 · Bottom 22%
vs68 · Top 30%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 3%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs53 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Canton | Massillon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,755 | 32,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,188 | $56,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,690 | $32,391 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,630/sq mi | 1,705/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $97,800 | $149,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 65.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.4% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 24 | 160 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.1% | -9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.6" | 41.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.30 | 18.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.6% | 67.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.0% | 71.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.6% | 34.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Canton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Massillon
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Canton, OH · Massillon, OH · How this is calculated: methodology