Lakewood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Elyria
Lakewood
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs90 · Top 33%
Schools
17 · Bottom 8%
vs71 · Top 25%
Access
97 · Top 22%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Elyria | Lakewood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,035 | 50,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $54,945 | $68,954 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,302 | $52,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,580/sq mi | 9,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,100 | $262,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $906 | $1,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.0% | 44.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 161 | 130 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.1% | 6400.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.7" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.7% | 68.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.1% | 72.0% | 2019-20 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: Elyria, OH · Lakewood, OH · How this is calculated: methodology