Editing Canton, Ohio (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Halftrack-production-3.jpg|thumb| Production of [[M3 half-track]] armored cars in a converted Diebold Safe and Lock Company plant,  1941]]

Canton's economy has traditionally been primarily industrial, with significant healthcare and agricultural segments.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://cantonohio.gov/pdf/CantonFinal%20Draft-03.07.16.pdf|title=Canton Comprehensive Plan|publisher=The City of Canton|year=2016}}</ref> The city is home to the TimkenSteel Corporation, a major manufacturer of specialty steel. Several other large companies operate in the greater Canton area, including [[Timken Company]], a maker of [[Rolling-element bearing|tapered roller bearings]]; [[Belden Brick Company]], a brick and masonry producer; [[Diebold]], a maker of [[automatic teller machine|ATMs]], electronic voting devices, and bank vaults, and [[Medline Industries]], a manufacturer and distributor of health care supplies. The area is also home to several regional food producers, including Nickles Bakery (baked goods), Case Farms (poultry), and [[Shearer's Foods]] (snack foods). Poultry production and dairy farming are also important segments of the Canton area's economy.

Since 2000, Canton has experienced a very low unemployment rate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20141223/BUSINESS/141229747/0/SEARCH|title=Local jobless rate remains low in November|newspaper=The Repository|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref> The healthcare sector is particularly strong, with [[Aultman Hospital]] and Mercy Medical Center among its largest employers. Nevertheless, as in many industrial areas of the United States, employment in the manufacturing sector is in a state of decline. [[Ling-Temco-Vought|LTV Steel]] (formerly [[Republic Steel]]) suffered bankruptcy in 2000. Republic Steel emerged and continues to maintain operations in Canton. [[Hoover Company]], a major employer for decades in the region, reached an agreement to sell Hoover to Hong Kong-based [[Techtronic Industries]]. The main plant in nearby North Canton closed its doors in September 2007 due to classified reasons. On June 30, 2014, the [[Timken Company]] and TimkenSteel split, forming two separate companies at the urging of shareholders.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140630/Business/140639961|title = Canton Repository|last = Pritchard|first = Edd|date = June 30, 2014|access-date = October 2, 2014}}</ref> The Timken Company relocated to neighboring [[Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio|Jackson Township]], while TimkenSteel remains headquartered in Canton. In response to this changing manufacturing landscape, the city is undergoing a transition to a retail and service-based economy.

[[File:Preserved wooster street.jpg|thumb|Preserved bricks manufactured in Canton]]

Beginning in the 1970s, Canton, like many mid-size American cities, lost most of its downtown retail business to the suburbs. The majority of the Canton area's "box store" retail is located in the general vicinity of the [[Westfield Belden Village|Belden Village Mall]] in [[Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio|Jackson Township]]. However, the 2010s saw the downtown area bringing in new cafes, restaurants, and the establishment of an arts district. A few retail centers remain in Canton at or near the city limits. Tuscarawas Street (Lincoln Way), a leg of the [[Lincoln Highway]] connecting Canton with nearby [[Massillon, Ohio|Massillon]], is home to the [[Canton Centre (mall)|Canton Centre]] mall and several retail outlets of varying size. A vein of commerce runs along Whipple Avenue, connecting the Canton Centre area with the Belden Village area. A similar vein runs north from the downtown area, along Cleveland and Market avenues. Connecting Cleveland and Market avenues is a small shopping district on 30th Street NW, and retail lines the [[U.S. Route 62|Route 62]] corridor leading from Canton to [[Louisville, Ohio|Louisville]] and [[Alliance, Ohio|Alliance]].

The city's economy has diversified due to the decline of the [[Manufacturing in the United States|heavy manufacturing industry]]. At the heart of this transformation is the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]], with its multimillion-dollar "Hall of Fame Village" expansion project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20141111/FREE/141119943/pro-football-hall-of-fame-trustees-approve-master-plan-for-hall-of|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame trustees approve master plan for 'Hall of Fame Village'|date=November 11, 2014|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> This project has been complemented with significant investments by city leaders in urban redevelopment, which continued with the transformation of the Hotel Onesto into the Historic Onesto Lofts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150202/NEWS/150209912/0/SEARCH|title=Canton City Council to vote on tax break for Onesto|first=CantonRep.com staff|last=report|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> Other urban renewal plans are underway, which include the redevelopment of the downtown Market Square area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150209/NEWS/150209256/0/SEARCH|title=Plans for Market Square get preliminary OK from council|first=Alison|last=Matas|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> Private investment has furthered Canton's transformation, which is illustrated by the multimillion-dollar creation of the Gervasi Vineyard, which draws patrons throughout the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gervasivineyard.com/|title=Ohio Winery and Italian Restaurant – Gervasi Vineyard Canton Ohio – Dining and Inn Hotel|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref> In furtherance of these development initiatives, Canton was one of the first cities in Ohio to create a "designated outdoor refreshment area" legalizing the possession and consumption of "[[United States open-container laws|open container]]" alcoholic beverages in its downtown area.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cantonrep.com/news/20160603/city-officials-first-friday-attendees-kick-off-outdoor-refreshment-district|title=City officials, First Friday attendees kick off outdoor refreshment district|last=Wang|first=Robert|newspaper=The Repository|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/to-enliven-downtowns-some-cities-promote-public-drinking_us_5813572ce4b09b190529c35e|title=To Enliven Downtowns, Some Cities Promote Public Drinking|last1=Henderson|first1=Tim|date=October 28, 2016|website=The Huffington Post|access-date=December 2, 2016}}</ref>

===Principal employers===
[[File:Market Street, Showing Northwest Corner Public Square, Canton, Ohio.jpg|thumb|Market Street, showing northwest corner of the public square]]

According to Canton's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cantonohio.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/391|title=City of Canton ACFR 2022}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of employees
! % of city employment
|-
|1
| [[Aultman Hospital]]
|4,423
|5.9%
|-
|2
| [[Cleveland Clinic|Cleveland Clinic Mercy]]
|2,420
|3.2%
|-
|3
| [[Stark County, Ohio|Stark County]]
|2,172
|2.9%
|-
|4
|[[Canton City School District|Canton City Schools]]
|2,157
|2.9%
|-
|5
|[[Walmart]]
|1,736
|2.3%
|-
|6
| [[Timken Company|Timken Steel]]
|1,613
|2.1%
|-
|7
| Fresh Mark Inc.
|1,593
|2.1%
|-
|8
| City of Canton
|943
|1.3%
|-
|9
| [[The M. K. Morse Company]]
|506
|0.7%
|-
|10
| [[Hendrickson Holdings|Hendrickson USA]]
|401
|0.5%
|-
|
|'''Total'''
|'''17,964'''
|'''23.8%'''
|}