Kent population has increased more than any other Ohio city post-pandemic
The City of Kent’s population has doubled more than any other Ohio city, results from the first post-pandemic U.S. Census survey show. Kent’s population increased by 2 thousand people after its population significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was due to off-campus students at Kent State University leaving the city due to the university switching to fully remote classes.
“It was really was like a ghost town downtown,” Director of the Kent Historical Society & Museum Julie Kenworthy said. “To see the way it was during COVID was very sad.”
Kent’s population was around 28 thousand before the pandemic and decreased to about 24 thousand. This data shows the impact that college students have on the city of Kent. The economy and overall quality of life significantly rely on the students that the university brings to Kent.
Since the end of the pandemic, Kent has increased its population back to around 27 thousand people. That’s double the amount the city had in 2021. However, it’s still about 1 thousand shy of its previous population of 28 thousand.
In hopes of bringing more people to the city of Kent, local organizations like Main Street Kent host festivals and community events to bring traffic into the area.
“People coming down and participating in those events opens their eyes to “wow I never knew Kent was like this.” Main Street Kent’s Economic Development Director Eric Helmstedter said.
By bringing out-of-town visitors to Kent, Main Street Kent hopes people can see the community in a new light. Kent is more than a college town.
“It has a good school system, there’s you know lots of parks and to have the downtown that we do is a huge part of it,” said Kenworthy.
“Kent has really come to do things,” Helmstedter said. “It’s very family-friendly, it has a lot of dining options, we have a lot of nice parks, and there’s always something to do.”