Westlake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Medina
Westlake
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 5%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 7%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Medina | Westlake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,950 | 34,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,385 | $112,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,874 | $69,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,240/sq mi | 2,140/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $243,600 | $368,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,077 | $1,570 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.3% | 73.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 60.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 4.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 38 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 300.0% | -50.0% | 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 | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 46.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.02 | 14.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 74.0% | 76.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 76.3% | 79.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.9% | 23.1% | 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 · Westlake, OH · How this is calculated: methodology