In the 1760s and 1770s Moravian missionaries from Pennsylvania came to preach the gospel to the native people, and also to lead and resettle already converted native people migrating away from whites encroaching on their land in Pennsylvania.

See also the history of neighboring Tuscarawas County, Ohio The first permanent settlements were established in 1805, beginning with Canton.

Possibly 80% of the early settlers were German-speakers from Pennsylvania, although others came from Virginia, New York, and New England.

At the start of the Civil War the men of Stark County were quick to volunteer to preserve the Union.

The rivalry between the Massillon Tigers and Canton Bulldogs helped bring the Ohio League to prominence in the mid-1900s (decade) and again in the late 1910s.

The Bulldogs ended up a charter member of the National Football League, where it played for several years.

(The role Stark County had in developing the game is part of the reason the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton.)

In the later 20th century, Stark County's voting record swung from one party to another, closely tracking the winner of the U.S. Presidential election.

Even within the swing state of Ohio, Stark County is regarded as a quintessential bellwether, and thus presidential candidates have typically made multiple visits to the region.

Major media outlets typically pay close attention to the election results in the county.

The New York Times in particular has covered the county's citizens and their voting concerns in a series of features each election cycle for over a decade.

Locally, it has generally been a strong Republican area, but that changed in the 1990s and into the 2000s, where it remained highly competitive for both parties.