Stow receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Stow
Barberton
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs90 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs97 · Top 16%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Stow | Barberton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,240 | 24,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,727 | $52,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,856 | $32,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,003/sq mi | 2,755/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,000 | $135,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $848 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 18.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 40 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.9% | -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 | 18 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 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
Stow
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Barberton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Stow, OH · Barberton, OH · How this is calculated: methodology