Akron, located in Ohio, boasts a population of 207,934 and serves as the county seat of Summit County. Located in northeastern Ohio, Akron lies on the Cuyahoga River approximately 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. Cleveland lies to the north, and Canton lies to the south. The principal city of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, Akron, and Canton, a nearby city, are often considered twin cities, as evidenced by the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. Although the U.S. Census Bureau counts the metropolitan areas separately, the total population of the Akron-Canton area would equal 1,101,894. Founded in 1825 near the Ohio and Erie Canal, Akron became a major manufacturing center due to its location at a staircase of locks.
In 1935, Akron hosted the first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Akron also hosts the Soap Box Derby World Championships and the PGA Tour’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Akron also features The University of Akron and the Akron Aeros, a Double A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
Since 1970, Akron’s population has been decreasing. Currently, the population is around 217,074. The population of the metropolitan area is 694,960. The majority of residents, 67.22%, are white, while 28.48% are African American, 1.5% are Asian, 0.26% are Native American, and 1.16% are Hispanic. The largest ancestry is German with 18.1%, followed by Irish with 11.5%, English with 7.2%, Italian with 6.8%, and American with 6.4%.
A household median income in Akron is $31,835. For families, the median income is $39, 381. The per capita income for Akron is $17,596. About 17.5% of Akron’s population lives below the poverty line.
Known as the Rubber Capital of the World, Akron is home to the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Another Fortune 500 company, FirstEnergy, also keeps its headquarters in Akron. Akron also developed the first Joint Economic Development District to promote commerce with neighboring areas.