Welcome to Kent, Ohio

     The Northeast Ohio community of Kent (https://www.kentohio.org) was founded in 1805 as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. Located along the Cuyahoga River, approximately 12 miles northeast of Akron and 31 miles southeast of Cleveland, it has a population of 27,751 (2021). The Davey Tree Expert Company, Smithers-Oasis, Land O' Lakes, and many other industrial and corporate entities are located in Kent.

     The elementary and secondary Kent city public schools population totals 3,273. The graduation rate is 97%. 

     Kent State University (https://www.kent.edu/), founded in 1920, has an enrollment of over 28,000 graduate and undergraduate students and is a major factor in the economy and the community. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education named Kent State a R1 (or very high research) institution, which is the highest research ranking that Carnegie designates. This makes Kent State one of the top 5 research institutions in Ohio and one of 146 research universities in the U.S. Every summer, the Kent/Blossom Music Festival is produced in cooperation with The Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Center, as are outdoor theatre performances at the Porthouse Theatre. 

     Downtown Kent hosts many weekend festivals throughout the summer. (https://mainstreetkent.org/). Another popular local event is the Ravenna Balloon A-Fair every September. (https://www.ravennaballoonafair.com/). There are many activities throughout the year in nearby Akron and Cleveland areas as well. 

     Another local treasure is the Cuyahoga Valley, a national park in Ohio, which is very close to Kent and provides recreational opportunities along the Cuyahoga River. The winding Cuyahoga  gives way to 33,000 acres of deep forests, rolling hills, and open farmlands. Cuyahoga National Park, established as a national recreation area in 1974 and re-designated as a national park in 2000, has a rich cultural legacy as well. Cuyahoga offers something for everyone—from hiking, golfing, historic train rides, and kayaking to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing (https://www.nps.gov/cuva).