Life in Cleveland is pretty awesome. With several huge sports teams, great nightlife, and a long list of delicious local restaurants popping up on every corner, the Forest City is one place that’s definitely on the rise. Though living downtown can get expensive, there are plenty of nearby options that still give you great access to city life.
Here are the 10 most affordable Cleveland suburbs.
Key Stats:
- Median household income: $42,511
- Median home value: $85,900
With some of the cheapest homes in the area and the lowest cost of living on our list, Garfield Heights sneaks into the number one spot as the most affordable Cleveland suburb. It’s even been recognized in the past by publications like CNN/Money for being one of the best affordable places to live in the country.
With over 250 businesses associated with the local Chamber of Commerce, the economy here is in full swing, with huge local employers like Marymount Hospital and the Ohio Department of Transportation, making this the perfect place to move if you’re looking to save a few bucks while still taking advantage of everything Cleveland has to offer.
Key Stats:
- Median household income: $55,942
- Income spent on rent: 27 percent
Known all around the region for the many family-friendly events that this community hosts, like the 4th of July Grindstone Festival, Berea delivers a small town feel without taking you too far away from the big city.
It’s also home to Baldwin Wallace University, the training facility for the Browns, and the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, meaning that there’s always something going on in this town of less than 20,000.
Key Stats:
- Median home value: $114,100
- Median household income: $59,968
Another Cleveland suburb with a focus towards being family friendly, South Euclid is noteworthy thanks to its walkable streets and unique parks. The sense of community here is great and it’s only a short drive from downtown. Plus, incomes are higher and rent is low, making it easy to live here on a budget.
Key Stats:
- Income spent on rent: 29.9 percent
- Median home value: $95,000
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Another popular eastern suburb of Cleveland, Bedford is part of the Cleveland Metroparks system, so there’s plenty of greenspace despite being a 15 minute drive from a huge urban center. Bedford is also home to a super active community known for hosting parades, festivals, and free concerts throughout the year. If you’re looking for a suburb that is cheaper but still an exciting place to be, Bedford is definitely worth checking out.
Key Stats:
- Income spent on rent: 39.3 percent
- Median home value: $84,400
Another Cleveland suburb that has been recognized by CNN/Money for being so affordable, Maple Heights has a super low cost of living. Despite the numbers pointing to higher renting prices in this area, owning is much more reasonable with the average home value hovering around $84,000.
This area is also noteworthy for having a very central location amongst the rest of the Cleveland suburbs, making it possible to get around the local area with ease.
Key Stats:
- Income spent on rent: 29.7 percent
- Median home value: $115,700
The second largest city in Cuyahoga County after Cleveland, Parma is the largest suburb on our list by far with over 80,000 people calling this city home. It’s got everything you’d expect in Cleveland’s largest suburb, including easy transportation, a diverse economy, and plenty of stores and restaurants for residents to enjoy.
Key Stats:
- Median household income: $52,441
- Median home value: $128,000
Roughly half an hour from downtown Cleveland, Eastlake is nestled on the coast of Lake Erie, meaning there are plenty of beautiful views and outdoor activities for all residents to enjoy. Home values are a little higher here, but renting is cheaper, making it easy to live here without overstretching your pocket book.
Eastlake is also home to Classic Park, where the Lake County Captains play their minor league baseball games, which is always fun to check out on a warm summer night.
Key Stats:
- Median home value: $91,200
- Median household income: $36,272
An inner ring suburb of Cleveland that’s totally affordable, Euclid is full of unique places for its residents to enjoy like Memorial Park, the Briardale Golf Course, and the Euclid Creek Reservation. It’s also got its own YMCA, library, public pool, and hospital, making this town especially appealing for young families.
Incomes are relatively low compared to other options on our list, but so is the cost of living. Plus, its close proximity to Cleveland makes Euclid a great place to commute downtown in search of a higher income.
Key Stats:
- Median home value: $93,600
- Income spent on rent: 29.8 percent
Nicknamed “the Friendly City,” Warrensville Heights is home to 13,469 of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. It’s got plenty of beautiful greenspace that residents can enjoy and it’s home to an annual summer festival that’s always a blast. Don’t skip over this place when you’re trying to find your new Cleveland area home.
Key Stats:
- Median home value: $157,600
- Median household income: $62,500
Brooklyn Heights has the most expensive homes and the highest cost of living on our list, but it’s also where you’ll find the highest incomes helping to even out this bump in prices.
Despite its low population of less than 1,500 residents, there are still tons of local amenities in the area and in nearby suburbs, making this yet another affordable suburb in the Cleveland area that delivers a great bang for your buck.
Our Methodology
To create this list of affordable Cleveland area suburbs, we took a look at the following criteria:
- Cost of living
- Median home value
- Percentage of income spent on rent
- Affordability ratio (median home value divided by median household income)
We then averaged those scores into one overall score and the places with the 10 lowest scores made up our list of the 10 most affordable Cleveland suburbs.
For this list, we sourced data from
AreaVibes, business listings, and the 2013 U.S. Census American Community Survey.
Want to see how all 28 Cleveland suburbs stacked up? Take a look at the table below:
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