The 10 Best Cleveland Suburbs To Live In For 2024


The best Cleveland suburbs are Pepper Pike and Oakwood for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

While big cities like Cleveland offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.

With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Cleveland. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Cleveland without actually having to be in the city.

Of course, not all suburbs of Cleveland are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Cleveland area.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


What’s the best suburb of Cleveland? Pepper Pike ranks as the best suburb of Cleveland for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Pepper Pike, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.

We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Cleveland ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.

Feel free to check out some more reading about Ohio:

The 10 Best Cleveland Suburbs To Live For 2024

Pepper Pike, OH

Source: Wikipedia User Hannah Wolfe | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 6,778
Median Income: $198,438
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
Poverty Rate: 2.5%
More on Pepper Pike: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Pepper Pike is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Cleveland area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Pepper Pike.”

Everyone here is rich; families average $198,438 a year, which is the 3rd highest in the Cleveland region. And only 1.57% are out of work. Homes average more than $590,591 each.

Oakwood, OH

Source: Flickr User neighborhoods.org | CC BY-SA 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 9,496
Median Income: $132,722
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
Poverty Rate: 4.4%
More on Oakwood: Data | Real Estate

Oakwood is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Cleveland for 2024.

It ranks 8th for incomes in the area and only 2.87% of residents lack insurance, good for 28th best.

Hudson, OH

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY-SA 2.5
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 23,005
Median Income: $160,280
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%
Poverty Rate: 3.4%
More on Hudson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Here in Hudson, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Cleveland metro area.

The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.

But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Hudson.

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,966
Median Income: $175,343
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
Poverty Rate: 2.8%
More on South Russell: Data | Crime | Real Estate

South Russell ranks as the 4th best suburb of Cleveland for 2024.

You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in South Russell and the schools are some of the best around.

Avon Lake, OH

Source: Wikipedia User Robert Chriss | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 25,220
Median Income: $103,946
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
Poverty Rate: 4.7%
More on Avon Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Coming in as the fifth best is Avon Lake.

Avon Lake gets kudos for having the 15th most expensive homes in the Cleveland area, where houses sell for an average of $364,413. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.

Review Of Avon Lake by HomeSnacks User

Great place to grow up with very good schools. Tight community that has grown rapidly. Everyone seems to know each other and a lot of effort is put into keeping the community safe and pleasant.

Going down to the lake is a favorite activity for locals. Friday night football is also a big deal in this town. Not many food options, but the surrounding communities offer more in the way of restaurants and shopping. It is a bedroom community.

Rocky River, OH

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 21,552
Median Income: $90,459
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%
Poverty Rate: 5.1%
More on Rocky River: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Rocky River is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.

Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 2.56%.

According to online reports, Rocky River is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Cleveland area, meaning you need to get in soon.

Chagrin Falls, OH

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 4,116
Median Income: $99,821
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 3.0%
More on Chagrin Falls: Data | Crime | Real Estate

The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Chagrin Falls.

Chagrin Falls schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.

And, it’s only 15.4 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.

8. Silver Lake, OH

Silver Lake, OH

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,621
Median Income: $131,012
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Poverty Rate: 2.5%
More on Silver Lake: Real Estate

Silver Lake is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.

A solid 0.95% of people lack insurance, good for 4th in the area.

Avon, OH

Source: Wikipedia User Chris Light at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 24,822
Median Income: $128,087
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Poverty Rate: 4.6%
More on Avon: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Is ‘Everything Better In Avon?’

Almost.

It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.

Highland Heights, OH

Source: Wikipedia User aeroplanepics0112 | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 8,652
Median Income: $124,821
Unemployment Rate: 4.6%
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
More on Highland Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Highland Heights.

This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Cleveland for 2024

Figuring out the best suburbs around Cleveland was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.

We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:

  • Low unemployment rate
  • High median household incomes
  • Population density (lots of things to do)
  • High home values
  • A lot of college-educated people
  • Low poverty
  • High rate of insured families

We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Cleveland.

Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 83 suburbs to evaluate around Cleveland.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 83 in each category, where 1 was the “best.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.

Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Cleveland.” We’re lookin’ at you, Pepper Pike.

This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.

We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Cleveland suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.

Summary: Welcome to the Best Cleveland ‘Burbs of 2024

We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.

The best suburbs of Cleveland are .

So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Cleveland but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.

For more Ohio reading, check out:

Table: Best Cleveland Suburbs

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Price
1 Pepper Pike, OH 6,778 $198,438 $590,591
2 Oakwood, OH 9,496 $132,722 $362,725
3 Hudson, OH 23,005 $160,280 $483,879
4 South Russell, OH 3,966 $175,343 $461,432
5 Avon Lake, OH 25,220 $103,946 $364,413
6 Rocky River, OH 21,552 $90,459 $346,739
7 Chagrin Falls, OH 4,116 $99,821 $442,782
8 Silver Lake, OH 2,621 $131,012 $318,605
9 Avon, OH 24,822 $128,087 $425,138
10 Highland Heights, OH 8,652 $124,821 $375,331
11 Independence, OH 7,539 $109,691 $323,090
12 Moreland Hills, OH 3,440 $199,279 $620,017
13 Gates Mills, OH 2,158 $214,219 $657,750
14 Aurora, OH 17,227 $134,728 $399,236
15 Beachwood, OH 13,846 $105,346 $427,232
16 Solon, OH 24,053 $128,470 $396,920
17 Fairlawn, OH 7,697 $87,952 $275,067
18 Strongsville, OH 46,165 $101,176 $319,958
19 Shaker Heights, OH 29,157 $96,494 $293,145
20 Brecksville, OH 13,618 $122,546 $379,607
21 Westlake, OH 34,027 $103,658 $364,251
22 Reminderville, OH 5,305 $101,463 $324,200
23 Sheffield, OH 4,225 $101,173 $293,811
24 Broadview Heights, OH 19,815 $97,902 $321,266
25 Twinsburg, OH 19,291 $91,554 $317,334
26 Lyndhurst, OH 13,952 $84,697 $205,250
27 Brunswick, OH 35,304 $81,780 $276,607
28 Mayfield, OH 3,344 $104,940 $335,426
29 Olmsted Falls, OH 8,670 $92,416 $255,597
30 Kirtland, OH 6,914 $111,184 $357,865
31 University Heights, OH 13,649 $91,960 $241,309
32 Stow, OH 34,459 $89,805 $251,917
33 Richfield, OH 3,719 $72,625 $423,387
34 North Ridgeville, OH 35,481 $89,466 $289,885
35 Middleburg Heights, OH 15,918 $74,109 $246,379
36 Tallmadge, OH 18,411 $85,394 $250,321
37 Seven Hills, OH 11,681 $91,975 $264,289
38 Macedonia, OH 12,126 $97,611 $310,528
39 Willowick, OH 14,213 $71,418 $173,013
40 North Royalton, OH 31,120 $81,511 $296,870
41 Mentor, OH 47,302 $84,503 $252,525
42 Medina, OH 26,092 $74,820 $335,714
43 Fairview Park, OH 17,137 $76,027 $245,455
44 Amherst, OH 12,740 $86,250 $243,260
45 Lagrange, OH 2,662 $92,621 $281,907
46 Orange, OH 3,432 $150,729 $477,356
47 Sheffield Lake, OH 8,958 $61,699 $179,324
48 North Olmsted, OH 32,244 $81,768 $236,837
49 Grafton, OH 5,730 $81,522 $266,406
50 South Euclid, OH 21,754 $75,933 $158,310
51 Willoughby, OH 23,823 $70,807 $211,748
52 Munroe Falls, OH 5,034 $67,601 $242,177
53 Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH 7,152 $58,524 $191,119
54 Walton Hills, OH 2,140 $95,521 $293,266
55 Cleveland Heights, OH 45,002 $69,155 $182,494
56 Wickliffe, OH 12,661 $76,938 $173,069
57 Lakewood, OH 50,605 $63,299 $254,332
58 Chardon, OH 5,248 $86,480 $331,732
59 Berea, OH 18,550 $67,493 $207,002
60 Willoughby Hills, OH 9,972 $63,438 $315,021
61 Northfield, OH 3,546 $68,342 $265,237
62 Parma Heights, OH 20,706 $57,197 $186,633
63 Mayfield Heights, OH 20,127 $59,423 $203,610
64 Cuyahoga Falls, OH 50,916 $67,922 $190,568
65 Eastlake, OH 17,625 $59,648 $177,634
66 Streetsboro, OH 17,378 $77,199 $245,221
67 Parma, OH 80,587 $65,848 $182,504
68 Brook Park, OH 18,509 $64,046 $184,693
69 Bedford, OH 13,043 $55,198 $139,045
70 Richmond Heights, OH 10,714 $55,143 $215,049
71 Bedford Heights, OH 10,933 $47,528 $169,165
72 Painesville, OH 20,387 $51,373 $193,999
73 Kent, OH 27,336 $37,505 $215,123
74 Brooklyn, OH 11,259 $59,875 $172,924
75 Euclid, OH 49,279 $45,018 $129,092
76 Elyria, OH 52,780 $49,569 $158,172
77 Fairport Harbor, OH 3,100 $53,654 $158,688
78 Maple Heights, OH 23,473 $49,877 $112,147
79 Warrensville Heights, OH 13,659 $43,848 $114,360
80 East Cleveland, OH 13,926 $23,004 $46,242
81 Akron, OH 190,273 $46,596 $115,235
82 Garfield Heights, OH 29,497 $49,864 $119,737
83 Lorain, OH 65,138 $46,562 $127,413
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.