Barberton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kent
Barberton
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 13%
vs90 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 14%
vs97 · Top 16%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Kent | Barberton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,116 | 24,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,964 | $52,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,098 | $32,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,858/sq mi | 2,755/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $219,900 | $135,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $991 | $848 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.8% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.1% | 18.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.1% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -73.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.5" | 32.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.8 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Kent
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Barberton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Kent, OH · Barberton, OH · How this is calculated: methodology