Portage County, Ohio

Portage County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is found in Northeast Ohio and is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 161,791 people.

The county's largest city is Kent, and its county seat is Ravenna. Other important places in the county include the cities of Aurora and Streetsboro. Portage County also has five villages, 18 civil townships, and many smaller places.

The county was created in 1807 and formally organized the next year in 1808. It was named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. Today, Portage County is home to parts of the city of Tallmadge and the village of Mogadore, though most of these places lie in nearby Summit County.

History

The name "Portage" comes from an old Native American path called "Portage Path", which ran between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. Travelers used this path to carry their canoes between the rivers.

In the 1600s, the area was home to the Whittlesey culture, a group of Native Americans. Later, other tribes lived in the region, using it as a place for hunting.

Portage County was created in 1807 from Trumbull County. Over time, its borders changed as new counties were formed. Today, the county's boundaries were set in 1840.

In 1970, a sad event happened at Kent State University, where soldiers shot at students during a protest. This is known as the Kent State shootings.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Portage County has a total area of 504 square miles (1,310 km²). Most of this is land, covering 487 square miles (1,260 km²), with 17 square miles (44 km²) of water.

West Branch State Park is a large park in the middle of Portage County. It features green spaces around the Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir. There are also many smaller parks in the area.

Adjacent counties

• Geauga County (north)
• Trumbull County (east)
• Mahoning County (southeast)
• Stark County (south)
• Summit County (west)
• Cuyahoga County (northwest)

Major highways

• I-76
• I-80 / Ohio Turnpike
• I-480
• US 224
• US 422
• SR 5
• SR 14
• SR 43
• SR 44
• SR 59
• SR 82
• SR 88
• SR 183
• SR 225
• SR 261
• SR 282
• SR 303
• SR 305
• SR 306
• SR 700

Demographics

2020 census

In 2020, Portage County had 161,791 people. The average age was 39.8 years. About 18.4% of people were younger than 18, and 17.9% were 65 or older.

The people in Portage County were mostly White at 86.4%, with 5.0% being Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, and 2.1% Asian. The rest of the people were from other groups or more than one race.

2010 census

In 2010, there were 161,419 people living in Portage County. Most people were White at 92.3%, with 4.1% being Black or African American, 1.4% Asian, and smaller amounts from other groups. Many people reported being of German, Irish, English, Italian, Polish, or American ancestry.

2000 census

In 2000, Portage County had 152,061 people. The largest group was White at 94.4%, followed by 3.18% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, and 0.82% Asian. Smaller numbers were from other groups or more than one race.

Many people in the county reported German, Irish, Italian, English, American, or Polish ancestry. Most people spoke English at home, with a small number speaking Spanish.

Government

As of January 2025, several important leaders were elected to help run Portage County. These leaders work to make decisions for the whole county.

Politics

From 1992 to 2012, Portage County usually voted for Democratic leaders. But in 2016 and again in 2020, Donald Trump won the county, becoming the first Republican to do so in almost 30 years. The last time a Republican won there was in 1988 with George H. W. Bush.

Education

Portage County has many places for learning, including public school districts, private schools, and public libraries. It is also home to three colleges and universities.

The county has several public libraries that work together, allowing anyone with a library card to borrow books from any of them. There is also a big university library at Kent State University with many books and resources.

Portage County has eleven public school districts, and some students attend special schools that serve students from many different districts. There are also several private schools, including Christian and Roman Catholic schools.

The county is home to three institutions of higher learning: Kent State University, a large public university; Hiram College, a small liberal arts college; and Northeast Ohio Medical University, a public medical school.

Culture

Portage County has many places where you can learn about history and enjoy entertainment. The Kent Stage in Kent is a great spot for theater shows. There are also several museums, such as the Kelso House Museum in Brimfield and the Kent Historical Society Museum in Kent.

The county has various news sources, including the Record-Courier, a newspaper based in Ravenna, and online news sites like The Portager from Randolph and KentStater from Kent State University. Another online news source is the Weekly Villager, based in Garrettsville, covering news from Portage and nearby counties.

Communities

Portage County is divided into 20 sections arranged in a 4 by 5 grid. It includes 18 areas called townships, and parts or all of five cities and six villages. In Ohio, cities and villages are the main types of local governments, and any area not part of these is a township, which has fewer services.

Besides cities, villages, and townships, there are four special areas used only for counting people by the United States Census Bureau. These areas are not separate governments. There are also 17 other named spots in the county, but they are part of the townships or cities around them and do not have their own rules or leaders.

One large area called Camp James A. Garfield, also known as the Ravenna Arsenal, takes up much of the land in some townships. Even though it is part of these townships, the land is managed by the U.S. federal government.

Cities

• Aurora
• Kent
• Ravenna (county seat)
• Streetsboro
• Tallmadge

Villages

• Garrettsville
• Hiram
• Mantua
• Mogadore
• Sugar Bush Knolls
• Windham

Townships

• Atwater
• Brimfield
• Charlestown
• Deerfield
• Edinburg
• Franklin
• Freedom
• Hiram
• Mantua
• Nelson
• Palmyra
• Paris
• Randolph
• Ravenna
• Rootstown
• Shalersville
• Suffield
• Windham

Census-designated places

• Atwater in Atwater Township
• Brady Lake in Franklin Township
• Brimfield in Brimfield Township
• Suffield in Suffield Township

Unincorporated communities

• Black Horse
• Campbellsport
• Cobbs Corners
• Diamond
• Drakesburg
• Earlville
• Freedom Station
• Hiram Rapids
• Lloyd
• Mahoning
• Mishler
• Moran
• New Milford
• St. Joseph
• Twin Lakes
• Wayland
• Yale

Notable people

Portage County has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Nettie Sanford Chapin was a teacher, historian, author, newspaper publisher, and suffragist who lived from 1830 to 1901. Peter J. Barber was an architect known for his work in Santa Barbara, California and lived from 1830 to 1905.