Lakewood receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mentor
Lakewood
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
39 · Bottom 30%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs68 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 1%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs90 · Top 33%
Schools
61 · Top 38%
vs71 · Top 25%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Mentor | Lakewood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,171 | 50,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,949 | $68,954 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,169 | $52,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,697/sq mi | 9,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $247,700 | $262,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,239 | $1,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.7% | 44.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.6% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 66 | 130 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.3% | 6400.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.5 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.89 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.2% | 68.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.8% | 72.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 30.2% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Mentor
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave.
Lakewood
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Mentor, OH · Lakewood, OH · How this is calculated: methodology