Perry is the township between two cities
Perry Township sits in western Stark County with Massillon filling much of its western half and Canton to the east. The township’s own unincorporated area held 28,389 people in 2020 across 24.3 square miles.
It is one of the county’s oldest settled areas. Quaker settler Thomas Rotch founded Kendal here in 1812, and the township was named on December 7, 1813, for Oliver Hazard Perry, the War of 1812 naval hero. Local lore credits Johnny Appleseed with its first orchard, and the township marked its bicentennial in 2014.
Most of the housing came much later, during postwar growth between the two cities:
- The median house was built in 1965, and only about 7% predate 1940.
- About 82% of homes are detached single-family houses.
- Owners occupy about 78%, and vacancy is around 5%.
Perry Heights, Reedurban and Richville
Perry has no village of its own, but three census-designated places carry names people use as addresses.
| Community | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Perry Heights | Northeast | 8,391 people in 2020; median house built 1964 |
| Reedurban | Northeast | Census-designated place |
| Richville | South | Census-designated place |
A small part of the village of Navarre also reaches into the southwest corner. Because none of these communities has its own government, the township handles zoning, police, fire and roads for all of them, and the county handles taxes, deeds and estates.
Perry Local Schools and a new Watson Elementary
Perry Local Schools serve the township. The district added secondary education in 1956, when Perry High School opened, and built Whipple, Watson and Lohr schools in the 1950s, with Edison Junior High following in 1962.
The district’s most visible recent project sits on a former hospital site. Affinity Medical Center, which opened as Doctors’ Hospital in 1963, closed in 2008 and was demolished in March 2020. Work on a new Watson Elementary began there in 2022.
Some township addresses carry a Massillon mailing address, and parts of Massillon are in Perry Local as well, so check the district on your parcel record rather than going by the ZIP.
Private streets, drainage and township zoning
Perry Township publishes rules that can surprise a seller. Its Public Works page keeps a list of private streets in the township, along with neighbor and drainage information and yard waste rules.
Why that matters when you sell:
- A private street is maintained by the owners along it, not the township. Buyers and lenders may ask for a road maintenance agreement.
- Drainage problems between lots are a common inspection issue. Have any past correspondence with the township ready.
- Zoning and permits run through the township’s Zoning Department, which posts its 2025 Comprehensive Plan, zoning map, resolution book and fee schedule online. Additions or garages built without a permit can come up at sale; selling a house with unpermitted work explains the options.
The township administration office is at 3111 Hilton Street NW, open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Choosing how to sell a Perry Township house
A cared-for Perry ranch in a quiet subdivision usually sells well with an agent, and we’ll say so if that’s your house.
A direct sale is worth comparing when the house is 60 years old with original systems, when you’ve inherited it and live out of state, or when you need a firm closing date. County rules on probate, back taxes and the transfer fee are on our Stark County page, and if a parent is moving into care, selling a house when moving to assisted living covers timing. You can get a written offer to compare.