Living in Kent offers residents an urban-suburban mix feel with many bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Kent has a population of 28,215 and is part of the Akron Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 702,219.

Kent has a manufacturing history and is known a “Tree City” due to its history and present-day relationship with Davey Tree, the largest tree care company in North America. Today, education is the city’s largest economic sector.

Since 2008 several noteworthy and award-winning redevelopment projects have been completed in the downtown area and around the Kent campus as a result of hundreds of millions in investments from both public and private sources.

In Kent, there is plenty to see and do. Kent Parks & Recreation prides itself “on providing quality recreation and entertainment for the community through parks, sports, fitness, education and cultural arts.” There are city wide parks, wildlife preserves, neighborhood parks, and athletic fields to explore. For youth, there are sports programs, school age childcare opportunities, preschool programs, musical theatre and more. For adults, Parks & Recreation offers walk/run clubs, fencing, senior education, and tennis lessons, just to name a few offerings.

Residents of Kent enjoy the Kent Free Library, and residents 16 and older can enjoy the Kent State University Libraries through their program for Community Borrowers.

Kent students are predominantly served by the Kent City School District; however, a small portion of southern Kent is served by Field Local Schools in neighboring Mogadore.

There is no shortage of cultural activities to enjoy in Kent! The Kent Heritage Festival is held every July. The festival includes crafts, booths, entertainment, train rides, 5K and 10K races, and fireworks, drawing approximately 25,000 people each year.

Also in October, the downtown area hosts an annual, yet unofficial, Halloween celebration (mostly for college students and adults to enjoy); however, there is a family-oriented Halloween event prior to the unofficial celebration.

Through Main Street Kent, several community events are organized and enjoyed by residents and visitors. Oktoberfest offers seasonal beverages, German food, and live music. Rainbow Weekend includes a comedy show, art exhibits, open mics and more-all celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

Wizardly Weekend, a festival celebrating the book and movie series Harry Potter, is held annually and features Harry Potter-themed vendors and activities, a 5k run through the campus of Kent State University, a costume contest, and the transformation of Acorn Alley into Diagon Alley.

Additional events downtown include an ice cream social event in August, an outdoor concert series and “sidewalk cinema” between May and September, an art and wine festival in June, and a cider festival in November.

From April to November, the Haymaker Farmers’ Market operates every Saturday morning in the downtown area. The market includes over 40 vendors. An indoor Winter Market is held Saturday mornings from December through March.

The Kent Stage, located downtown, is a performance venue for a variety of arts performances in music and theater. It hosts around 90 concerts, four theatrical performances, and four film festivals or movie premieres per year, including local, national, and international performers.