Lakewood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Medina
Lakewood
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 5%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs90 · Top 33%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs71 · Top 25%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Medina | Lakewood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,950 | 50,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,385 | $68,954 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,874 | $52,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,240/sq mi | 9,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $243,600 | $262,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,077 | $1,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.3% | 44.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 130 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 300.0% | 6400.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.9" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.02 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 74.0% | 68.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 76.3% | 72.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.9% | 39.8% | 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: Medina, OH · Lakewood, OH · How this is calculated: methodology