Farm country on Massillon’s west side
Tuscarawas Township lies in western Stark County, with part of the City of Massillon in its eastern section and farmland across much of the rest. It borders Lawrence Township to the north, Perry Township to the east, Sugar Creek Township to the south and Wayne County to the west. The 2020 census counted 5,801 people over about 30.3 square miles, roughly 192 per square mile.
The township’s ZIP codes are 44666, 44647 and 44618, so the town on your mailing address may not match the township on your tax bill.
The township that gave land to five others
Tuscarawas Township was organized in March 1810 on land bought from Native Americans, and early settlers included Pennsylvania Dutch families, New Yorkers and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. In 1816 portions were taken to form Jackson, Lawrence, Perry, Bethlehem and Sugar Creek townships, which set its present size. An 1833 gazetteer counted one gristmill, five sawmills, a fulling mill, two tanneries and two stores.
The county planning commission notes that much of the township is still farmland. That shows in its housing.
Almost all owner-occupied houses
Tuscarawas Township has the highest owner-occupancy rate of Stark County’s 17 townships. Census estimates for 2020-2024:
- About 2,466 housing units.
- About 91% owner-occupied and about 95% single-family detached.
- A median year built of 1962, with about 24% built in 1939 or earlier.
- About 5% vacant and about 3% mobile homes.
- A median home value of about $206,100 (owner estimate).
Compare that with Massillon next door, where about 65% of homes are owner-occupied and the median value is about $149,900. A well-kept township house will usually draw plenty of buyers, and listing is probably the better path if you have time. Where a direct sale helps is the house with an aging well, septic and roof all at once, or a farmhouse that needs more work than its owner can take on. If you’re downsizing, see selling your house when downsizing.
Well water and the transfer inspection
If your house runs on a private well and septic, plan for water testing as part of the sale. The Stark County Health Department lists what can slow the transfer inspection:
- A well that needs chlorination and then a second sample.
- A lender that requires lead and nitrate samples.
- Problems found in the sewage system.
If the house has been empty, the department asks that all plumbing be flushed thoroughly before water is sampled. A failed septic may need repair or replacement. See selling a house with septic problems for how buyers handle that.
Tuslaw schools and the Lincoln Highway
Most of the township is served by Tuslaw Local Schools, named for Tuscarawas and Lawrence townships. The district formed in 1965 from the Moffit, Beech Grove, North Lawrence and Newman districts. Tuslaw High School and a central elementary school, opened in 2010, sit across from each other on State Route 93 in Tuscarawas Township, about a mile north of the old U.S. 30 Lincoln Highway, now State Route 172. The district also takes in western parts of Massillon.
For the city, see our Massillon page, and the Stark County page for county rules. If you’d like to compare a cash number against listing, request a written offer.