Berea receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Berea
Brunswick
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
68 · Bottom 43%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs95 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 20%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs77 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Berea | Brunswick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,218 | 35,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,926 | $90,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,652 | $43,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,207/sq mi | 2,712/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $198,100 | $249,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,062 | $1,157 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.9% | 74.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 200.0% | -30.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 29.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.46 | 17.81 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Berea, OH · Brunswick, OH · How this is calculated: methodology