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Living in
Barberton.
About
Life in Barberton
Barberton is a working-class city just southwest of Akron, with manufacturing still employing about 17% of working residents. Its biggest draw is price: the median home value is $135,200, about 59% below the national median, and rent averages just $848 a month. Zillow's estimate has risen about 35% over five years, so buyers have noticed.
Barberton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.6%
Foreign-Born
1.5%
Broadband Internet
88.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.5% foreign-born, most often from Croatia
Who lives in Barberton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Barberton, the largest foreign-born group is from Croatia (19.8%), and 1.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.3%
of residents
65 and Older
20.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.1%
of households
Married Couples
34.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% below OH average
Rent, home values, and income in Barberton
In Barberton, rent runs 18% below the OH average, and home values are 37% below the OH average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,818
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1955
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $155,520 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.5 pts above OH average
Unemployment in Barberton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Barberton is 1.5 percentage points higher than the OH average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Barberton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Akron, OH metro area
Commute22.2 min avg
How Barberton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Barberton, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Akron Canton Regional Airport (CAK)
Regional airport · few flights471k passengers boarded in 2025
- 30 mi
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Medium hub4.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 123 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Barberton runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
253.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,032.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Barberton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Summit County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Summit County, which includes Barberton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $24,500 |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.5M |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Storm | $9,500 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $501,500 |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $601,000 |
| 2019 | 23 | Hail | $7.6M |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $649,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Summit County, county-wide
Barberton is about 5% of Summit County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Summit County, which includes Barberton, is typically good — 232 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
232
per year
Moderate Days
130
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Summit County, county-wide
Barberton is about 5% of Summit County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 23°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Barberton has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and cold winters (avg low 23°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/23°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.5"
Annual Snowfall
47.2"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
118
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 21°F | 1.83" |
| Feb | 40°F | 22°F | 1.45" |
| Mar | 49°F | 30°F | 2.48" |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 2.83" |
| May | 73°F | 51°F | 3.56" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 3.67" |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 3.65" |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 3.00" |
| Sep | 77°F | 55°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 65°F | 44°F | 2.53" |
| Nov | 52°F | 35°F | 2.32" |
| Dec | 41°F | 27°F | 2.01" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Barberton
Uninsured
4.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Barberton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Akron General Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Akron
Akron Children's Hospital
Childrens · 6.3 mi away · Akron
Summa Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.3 mi away · Akron
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Barberton
Barberton's student/teacher ratio is 15.8:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Barberton (within 15 miles)
University of Akron Main Campus
6.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 9,052 students · in-state tuition $13,530 · 50% graduate · median earnings $51,221 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Barberton
Barberton has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cuyahoga Valley National Park (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
17 mi awayFirst Ladies National Historic Site
National Historic Site
19 mi awayJames A Garfield National Historic Site
National Historic Site
47 mi awayPerry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Memorial
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Barberton
Barberton Public Library
602 W Park Ave, Barberton
Community Health Library Branch
155 Fifth St Ne, Barberton
Cities Near Barberton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Barberton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Barberton FAQ
Is Barberton, Ohio affordable?⌄
Barberton's median rent is $848/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,267/year. Median home value is $135,200.
Is Barberton, Ohio safe?⌄
Barberton's violent crime rate was 253 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2033 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Barberton, Ohio?⌄
Barberton has an unemployment rate of 6.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Barberton, Ohio?⌄
The cost of living in Barberton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $848/month and median household income is $52,267/year. The median home value is $135,200. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Barberton, Ohio?⌄
The average commute in Barberton is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from