Streetsboro, Ohio

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.36 square miles (63.09 km²), of which 23.46 square miles (60.76 km²) is land and 0.90 square miles (2.33 km²) is water.

History

Long before settlers moved into the Connecticut Western Reserve, Seneca Indians traversed the area now called Streetsboro. They used Old Portage Trail, which crosses the southwest corner of the city, to go from Lake Erie to the Ohio River basin.

The founder of Streetsboro Township was Titus Street from Connecticut, who purchased the land in 1798. Streetsboro Township contained 15,279 acres (61.83 km²). The land was surveyed by Streets' agents Ralph Cowles and Lemuel Punderson in the summer of 1822 and divided into lots of 100 acres (0.40 km²).

In 1825, a turnpike from Cleveland to Wellsville, Ohio was laid by Frederick Wadsworth, Samuel Cowles, John Strauyhen and Titus Street. Street agreed to give enough land to make it through the township. In 1827, the turnpike was completed. It followed much of the route of the present Ohio State Route 14.

Major growth occurred in Streetsboro with the opening of the Ohio Turnpike on October 1, 1955, with Exit 13 (now known as Exit 187) initially being the only interchange in Portage County. By 1957, with the growth of the automobile industry, Streetsboro experienced a population explosion. Proximity to the Akron and Cleveland areas, along with direct access to Interstate 80 (Ohio Turnpike), Interstate 480 and State Routes 303, 43 and 14, have greatly contributed to the rapid growth of manufacturing, distribution, commercial and residential development in the past fifty years.

In 1968, voters decided to merge the township and the village to become one city consisting of 25 square miles (65 km²). Streetsboro was primarily a farming community until 1970.

Streetsboro was home to a small amusement park, Shady Lake Park, located on Route 14, which is now an apartment complex of the same name.

Due to the steady growth of Streetsboro and its surrounding area within the past ten years, the city has become a retail hub for Portage County with the arrival of many national big-box retailers including Wal-Mart Supercenter, Target, Lowe's, The Home Depot and Staples. The first Northeast Ohio location for Sonic Drive-In opened in Streetsboro in September 2008.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,028 people, 6,562 households, and 4,316 families residing in the city. The population density was 683.2 inhabitants per square mile (263.8/km²). There were 7,104 housing units at an average density of 302.8 per square mile (116.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.7% White, 7.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 6,562 households of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 37.9 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.5% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 12,311 people, 4,908 households, and 3,381 families residing in the city. The population density was 512.6 people per square mile (197.9/km²). There were 5,244 housing units at an average density of 218.3 per square mile (84.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.39% White, 1.96% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.

There were 4,908 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,661, and the median income for a family was $55,814. Males had a median income of $36,672 versus $27,835 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,764. About 3.9% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary education is provided mainly by the Streetsboro City School District, which includes five schools, while a small portion of the city is part of the neighboring Kent City School District. Students in preschool through third grade attend Streetsboro Elementary School, formerly known as Campus Elementary School. Henry Defer Intermediate School houses students in grades four through six with grades seven and eight at Streetsboro Middle School. Streetsboro High School includes grades nine through 12. All schools and the district offices, with the exception of Streetsboro High School, are located on a 116-acre (47 ha) central campus with the Streetsboro City Park. The campus also includes the Pierce Streetsboro Library, a branch of the Portage County District Library, which opened in 1988.

Voters in the district approved a $38.7 million bond issue in 2013 to fund expansion and renovations of the district's facilities. Included in the plans were the new building for Streetsboro High School along State Route 14, and an expansion and renovation of the former Campus Elementary to become Streetsboro Elementary School for grades preschool through three. Both of those projects were completed in December 2016 and the first classes held in January 2017. Additional plans include renovation of the former high school building to house Streetsboro Middle School, which will enable grade six to be moved to the middle school from Henry Defer Intermediate School, and repurposing the current middle school building.

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