Lorain receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lorain
Springfield
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 11%
vs38 · Bottom 13%
Growth
38 · Bottom 28%
vs32 · Bottom 18%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 22%
vs92 · Top 21%
Access
95 · Top 44%
vs91 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 8%
vs33 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Lorain | Springfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 65,395 | 58,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,685 | $47,143 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,589 | $27,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,770/sq mi | 2,184/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,200 | $116,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $887 | $851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.1% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.2% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 90 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.3% | -2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.7" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Lorain
64
Your Score
65
Area Score
Springfield
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lorain, OH · Springfield, OH · How this is calculated: methodology