 Initial population growth in Kent was influenced by the location on the Cuyahoga River which led to the development of industrial and manufacturing jobs . Early settlers mainly came from the northeastern United States and were largely of German descent . After the arrival of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad in 1863 , growth was steady into the early 20th century with the village battling Ravenna for the position of Portage County 's largest city . By the 1930 Census , Kent had passed Ravenna as the county 's most populous city with even larger population growth in the 1950s and 1960s rising from 12 @,@ 148 in 1950 to 28 @,@ 183 by 1970 . As of 2010 , Kent remains the county 's largest city . Most recent population measurements of the city have shown the effect of changes in the city 's overall population coinciding with changes in the number of students living on campus as well as a reduction in the number of persons per housing unit . 
