Summit County, Ohio

Summit County
County
Summit County Courthouse
Summit County Courthouse
Flag of Summit County
Flag
Official seal of Summit County
Seal
Map of Ohio highlighting Summit County
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Map of the United States highlighting Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°08′N 81°32′W / 41.13°N 81.53°W / 41.13; -81.53
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedMarch 3[1][2], 1840
Named forthe highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal
SeatAkron
Largest cityAkron
Government
 • County ExecutiveIlene Shapiro (D)
Area
 • Total
419.38 sq mi (1,086.2 km2)
 • Land412.08 sq mi (1,067.3 km2)
 • Water7.3 sq mi (19 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
540,428
 • Estimate 
(2022)
535,882 Decrease
 • Density1,300/sq mi (500/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district13th
Websiteco.summitoh.net

Summit County is an urban county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 540,428,[3] making it the fourth-most populous county in Ohio. Its county seat and largest city is Akron.[4] The county was formed on March 3, 1840, from portions of Medina, Portage and Stark counties. It was named Summit County because the highest elevation on the Ohio and Erie Canal is in the county.[5]

Summit County is part of the Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 419.38 square miles (1,086 km2), of which 412.08 square miles (1,067 km2) is land and 7.3 square miles (19 km2) (1.7%) is water.[6] The largest portion of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is in the northern part of the county. The southern border of the former Connecticut Western Reserve passes through the southern part of the county, leading to jogs in the east and west borders of the county.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Government

See also: Ohio county government

Summit County, along with Cuyahoga County, is one of two of Ohio's 88 counties that have a charter government, as authorized by Article X of the Ohio Constitution. Under its charter, rather than three elected commissioners, Summit County has an elected county executive and an eleven-member county council. Eight members of the council are elected from individual districts; the other three are elected at large. Summit County also has an appointed medical examiner rather than an elected coroner, and an elected fiscal officer, who exercises the powers and performs the duties of a county auditor, treasurer and recorder. The remaining officials are similar to the officials in other counties. They include the following:

SWAT vehicle of the Summit County Sheriff's Office
  • Clerk of courts – Tavia Galonski (D) (elected)[7]
  • Prosecuting attorney – Elliot Kolkovich (D) (elected) [8]
  • Engineer – Alan Brubaker (D) (elected)
  • Sheriff – Kandy Fatheree (D) (elected)
  • Fiscal officer – Kristen Scalise (D) (elected)

Summit County currently has 14 Common Pleas judges. They are:

  • Kelly McLaughlin (D),
  • Kathryn Michael (D),
  • Christine Croce (R),
  • Jennifer Towell (D),[9]
  • Alison McCarty (R),
  • Tammy O'Brien (R),
  • Joy Oldfield (D),[10]
  • Mary Margaret Rowlands (D),
  • Alison Breaux (D)
  • Susan Baker Ross (D)
  • Linda Tucci Teodosio (D) (Juvenile Court Judge)
  • Katarina Cook (R) (Domestic Relations Judge)
  • Kani Hightower (D) (Domestic Relations Judge) [11]
  • Elinore Marsh Stormer (D) (Probate Judge)

Summit County Council

Summit County has an 11-member council. Three members are elected at-large in midterm cycles, while eight members are elected from districts coinciding with the presidential election. The current members of Summit County Council are:

  • Erin Dickinson (D) (at-large)
  • Elizabeth Walters* (D) (at-large) [12]
  • John Donofrio (D) (at-large)
  • Rita Darrow (D) (District 1)
  • John Schmidt (D) (District 2)
  • Gloria Rodgers (R) (District 3)
  • Jeff Wilhite (D) (District 4) [13][14]
  • Brandon Ford (D) (District 5) [15]
  • Christine Higham (D) (District 6) [16]
  • Beth McKenney (R) (District 7)
  • Anthony Devitis (R) (District 8)

* Indicates Council President [14]

County Executives

Politics

Like much of Northeast Ohio, Summit is heavily Democratic. It has voted Republican only three times since 1932, all in national Republican landslides– Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1956 victory, and the 49-state sweeps by Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in 1972 and 1984, respectively.

United States presidential election results for Summit County, Ohio[23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 125,910 45.88% 145,005 52.83% 3,539 1.29%
2020 124,833 44.38% 151,668 53.92% 4,779 1.70%
2016 112,026 43.03% 134,256 51.57% 14,064 5.40%
2012 111,001 41.36% 153,041 57.03% 4,316 1.61%
2008 113,284 40.66% 160,858 57.73% 4,487 1.61%
2004 118,558 42.91% 156,587 56.67% 1,175 0.43%
2000 96,721 43.02% 119,759 53.26% 8,359 3.72%
1996 73,555 34.18% 112,050 52.07% 29,590 13.75%
1992 77,530 32.10% 107,881 44.67% 56,081 23.22%
1988 101,155 46.92% 112,612 52.23% 1,822 0.85%
1984 115,637 50.99% 109,569 48.32% 1,574 0.69%
1980 92,299 43.35% 102,459 48.12% 18,161 8.53%
1976 80,415 38.41% 123,711 59.09% 5,224 2.50%
1972 112,419 49.92% 108,534 48.19% 4,263 1.89%
1968 82,649 39.56% 100,068 47.89% 26,224 12.55%
1964 68,000 32.33% 142,319 67.67% 0 0.00%
1960 109,066 49.59% 110,852 50.41% 0 0.00%
1956 102,872 52.42% 93,378 47.58% 0 0.00%
1952 91,168 48.34% 97,443 51.66% 0 0.00%
1948 60,174 42.69% 78,096 55.41% 2,680 1.90%
1944 64,696 41.61% 90,783 58.39% 0 0.00%
1940 63,405 41.45% 89,555 58.55% 0 0.00%
1936 38,991 29.16% 91,836 68.69% 2,869 2.15%
1932 47,691 45.03% 53,965 50.95% 4,255 4.02%
1928 78,504 70.86% 31,506 28.44% 775 0.70%
1924 53,774 65.28% 17,533 21.29% 11,064 13.43%
1920 43,721 59.60% 27,857 37.97% 1,785 2.43%
1916 11,593 35.63% 19,343 59.45% 1,603 4.93%
1912 3,502 15.10% 7,786 33.57% 11,904 51.33%
1908 10,365 47.31% 9,930 45.32% 1,614 7.37%
1904 12,451 66.04% 4,618 24.49% 1,786 9.47%
1900 10,072 53.08% 8,413 44.33% 491 2.59%
1896 8,584 51.25% 8,020 47.88% 146 0.87%
1892 6,322 46.45% 6,499 47.75% 790 5.80%
1888 6,455 51.43% 5,495 43.78% 602 4.80%
1884 6,588 55.97% 4,586 38.96% 597 5.07%
1880 5,890 57.73% 4,071 39.90% 241 2.36%
1876 5,055 56.59% 3,804 42.59% 73 0.82%
1872 4,534 62.01% 2,738 37.45% 40 0.55%
1868 4,634 65.47% 2,444 34.53% 0 0.00%
1864 4,204 69.88% 1,812 30.12% 0 0.00%
1860 3,607 65.52% 1,785 32.43% 113 2.05%
1856 3,185 63.64% 1,746 34.89% 74 1.48%

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
184022,560—
185027,48521.8%
186027,344−0.5%
187034,67426.8%
188043,78826.3%
189054,08923.5%
190071,71532.6%
1910108,25350.9%
1920286,065164.3%
1930344,13120.3%
1940339,405−1.4%
1950410,03220.8%
1960513,56925.3%
1970553,3717.8%
1980524,472−5.2%
1990514,990−1.8%
2000542,8995.4%
2010541,781−0.2%
2020540,428−0.2%
2022 (est.)535,882[24]−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[25]
1790-1960[26] 1900-1990[27]
1990-2000[28] 2010-2020[3]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 541,781 people, 222,781 households, and 141,110 families residing in the county.[29] The population density was 1,312.6 inhabitants per square mile (506.8/km2). There were 245,109 housing units at an average density of 593.8 per square mile (229.3/km2).[30] The racial makeup of the county was 80.6% white, 14.4% black or African American, 2.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population.[29] In terms of ancestry, 24.9% were German, 15.3% were Irish, 10.6% were English, 10.1% were Italian, 5.1% were Polish, and 4.5% were American.[31]

Of the 222,781 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.7% were non-families, and 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 40.0 years.[29]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,926 and the median income for a family was $62,271. Males had a median income of $47,892 versus $35,140 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,676. About 10.0% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.[32]

Education

Public School Districts in Summit County and Surrounding Areas

Colleges and universities

Recreation

Communities

Map of Summit County, Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels. The map denotes New Franklin and Franklin Township as separate entities, predating their 2003 merger.

Cities

Villages

Townships

Defunct townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ohio County Profiles: Summit County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 8, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  2. ^ "Summit County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Archived from the original on April 24, 2006. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "Communities in Summit County". County of Summit, Ohio. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  7. ^ rarmon. "Summit County Democrats appoint Tavia Galonski as clerk of courts". ohio.com. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  8. ^ warsmith. "Summit-County-Democrats-appoint-Elliot-Kolkovich-to-fill-county-prosecutor-vacancy". ohio.com. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  9. ^ "Incumbent judges Susan Steinhauer, Thomas Teodosio defeated". Akron Beacon Journal. November 9, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  10. ^ swarsmith. "Four Summit County judges elected to other courts must be replaced". ohio.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "2022 election results".
  12. ^ "Local". ohio.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  13. ^ rarmon. "Democrats appoint Jeff Wilhite to Summit County Council". ohio.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  14. ^ a b Mackinnon, Jim. "Wilhite named Summit County Council president, but not without a fight". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  15. ^ "Summit County Democrats appoint Elliot Kolkovich to fill county prosecutor vacancy". February 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "Summit County Council at-large, District 6 races go to Democrats".
  17. ^ McCarthy retired on June 30, 2007. "McCarthy, 67, Turns New Corner,". Akron Beacon Journal, June 30, 2007.
  18. ^ "Pry Biography". summit.oh.us. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  19. ^ On July 12, 2007, Pry was appointed by a majority vote of the Summit County Democratic Party's Central Committee to finish the remainder of McCarthy's second term. "Pry Named County Executive." Akron Beacon Journal, July 13, 2007
  20. ^ On November 4, 2008, Pry was elected to a four-year term as County Executive with over 60% of the vote. "Republicans Lose More Ground in Summit Races, Democrats Gain Spot with Brubaker Beating Incumbent Engineer." Akron Beacon Journal, November 6, 2008
  21. ^ On November 6, 2012, Pry was elected to a second four-year term as County Executive with over 62% of the vote. "Democrats Maintain Summit County Seats." Akron Beacon Journal, November 7, 2012
  22. ^ Pry died in office on July 31, 2016, at age 58. "Summit County Executive Russ Pry dies at 58". August 2016. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  23. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  24. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  25. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  26. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  27. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  28. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  29. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  30. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  31. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  32. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.

41°08′N 81°32′W / 41.13°N 81.53°W / 41.13; -81.53