Also known as “The City of Champions,” Massillon's small-town vibes connect deeply with football history, from high school to the Hall of Fame. Part of the Canton, Ohio area, Massillon is 50 miles south of Cleveland but on the 50-yard line of gridiron lore, home to a school rivalry older than America's first automobile and the birthplace of Paul Brown, one of the pro game's founding fathers. Manufacturing and food processing employ many of the city's 32,000 residents during work hours, but “I would say sports is probably No. 1,'' says Kara Kirkbride, a real estate agent with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. “They’re always having downtown parades and social events. The streets are painted— there are murals everywhere.” Brown is one of three men from the city in nearby Canton's Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the town has produced 23 professional players.
With a river running through the city, flood risks are being addressed and home prices here are on the rise but remain lower than national averages.
Washington High School mascot statue in front of an ERIC Grohe Mural in Downtown Massillon.
The Paul Brown gallery inside the Massillon Museum in Downtown Massillon.
Massillon is known to have all types of manufacturing plants.
Residents of Massillon love coming downtown for a night on the town.
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Emerging real estate market
The real estate market is competitive, though the median sale price of $200,000 is less than half of the national figure, though prices have been trending higher since 2017, according to national real estate data. Coupled with economic factors such as a low unemployment rate, 3.8%, and a population holding steady, the Wall Street Journal ranked the metro area No. 2 in emerging housing markets for 2024.
North of downtown, Amherst Heights-Clearview is a sprawling suburb of brick colonials, New Traditional and ranch-style homes on properties ranging up to an acre. Homes here tend to cost a little more than the Massillon average. South of downtown, West Park-Columbia offers walkable streets and more affordable homes, costing about half of the Massillon average. Historic Fourth Street downtown was one of the first neighborhoods in the country to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick streets are lined with architectural themes spanning 100 years, from 1830 to 1938.
A variety of architecture styles are seen in Massillon's Amherst-Height Clearview area.
Homebuyers may find a 1200SF. 3 bedroom home in Amherst-Height Clearview for about $215,000.
Visit Historic 4th Street in Massillon to see architecure from the Gilded age.
Historic 4th St. in Massillon has beautiful brick covered streets to take you back in time.
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Walking paths and a sea of softball fields
In addition to being just 30 miles south of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Massillon maintains approximately 30 community parks. There are also a number of trails like the Sippo Valley Trail, the Campbell Walking Path and the Ohio and Erie Canalway Towpath Trail. Genshaft Memorial Park hosts thousands of softball players throughout spring, summer and fall.
The trails at Reservoir Park are scenic and full of nature.
Welcome to Park Image
Arthur Genshaft Memorial Park.
Welcome to the Ohio Erie & Canal Towpath Trail in Massillon.
Sippo Valley Trail in Massillon has extensive trails with beautiful scenery.
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Fostering the arts with events
Arts, dining and shopping converge downtown throughout the year.
The Massillon Community Arts Council works to expand local annual events to give artists an opportunity to sell their works. ArtoberFest, their banner event, draws the creative community each October. The annual Fun Fest, hosted by the Downtown Massillon Association and the Massillon Museum, features dancers, drum lines and aerialists.
MassMu, housed in a 1931 art deco, is an art and history museum with major collections of photography, costumes and textiles, china, glass and pottery, and circus memorabilia. It also houses the Paul Brown Museum, which features original artifacts from his own collection, a reference library and space devoted to the Massillon Tigers.
Quirky mom-and-pop shops and family-owned restaurants cluster along Lincoln Way East. Though the city doesn’t have a main shopping hub, there are big box stores dotted throughout the city.
Massillon Fun Fest is a popular event in the Massillon Neighborhood.
The Massillon Museum has several interesting displays in Downtown Massillon.
Liebermann's Bakery in Downtown Massillon is a staple for local residents.
Massillon has a few big box stores throughout the neighborhood.
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Impact of school choice
Massillon City Schools serves approximately 4,000 students in seven schools. Graded a B-minus by Niche, the district ranks among the more diverse in Ohio and is considered good for student-athletes. Washington High School, known for its football team, the Massillon Tigers, ranks B-minus on Niche. It's annual football game against Canton-McKinley High School draws thousands each year and has been played since 1894."Massillon people are die-hard Tigers fans,” Kirkbride says.
Per-student funding has been cut slightly because the district has lost more students through school choice in Stark County. In response, the community renewed a sales tax in 2022 that generates $3.4 million annually and will renew for five years.
Kids can participate in a variety of competitive athletic programs at Canton McKinley.
Washington Tiger cheerleaders bring Downtown Massillon fans to their feet to cheer on team.
Fans from Downtown Massillon show their school spirit at the Tiger's playoff game.
Washington High School provides education in the neighborhood of Massillon.
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Flood risk, levee improvements
Situated along the Tuscarawas River, the flood risk is inherent in parts of Massillon. A study by the First Street Foundation looked at sea level rise, river flooding and simulation of extreme weather events and determined over 13,000 properties in Stark County face annual risk of flooding. The Massillon levee underwent a $22.5 million federally funded upgrade. “Certain parts around Sippo Lake would get a lot of flooding, but they’ve kind of corrected all of that,” says Kirkbride. “We don’t see it much anymore.”
Massillon has a humid continental climate and experiences the four seasons.
Multiple bridges to get you from West Massillon to Downtown.
Cast your line at Meyers Lake in Starks Park.
The Tuscarawas River provides scenic views near the Westarado neighborhood.
Brightly colored leaves signal that fall is coming to Downtown Massillon.
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Quick commute to Canton
Lincoln Way is the primary thoroughfare that runs east to west through Massillon, with Tuscarawas Street connecting the 10 miles to Canton. The Akron-Canton Airport is about 12 miles away via Interstate 77, and Cleveland Hopkins International is about 60 miles north. Most residents travel by car, but there are public transportation options available. The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, known locally as SARTA, offers bus service throughout the city and direct routes to Canton.
Crime well below the national average
According to FBI statistics, reports of violent crime and property crime in Massillon are higher than the Ohio and national average.
When Janice Fleming decided to change career paths, it only made sense to choose real estate where she could combine her desire to help people with her creative vision to help her clients reach their home ownership goals.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
