Parma Heights receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Parma Heights
Lorain
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
68 · Bottom 43%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs96 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Parma Heights | Lorain | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,581 | 65,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,009 | $48,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,555 | $27,589 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,904/sq mi | 2,770/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $175,100 | $139,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,111 | $887 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 57.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 25.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 45 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 36.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 39.8 | 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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Parma Heights
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Lorain
58
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Parma Heights, OH · Lorain, OH · How this is calculated: methodology