1st Advantage MortgageCuyahoga County households have a median income of $64,468 and median rent of $1,060 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Ohio license first.
On this page
- Cuyahoga County by the numbers
- What Cuyahoga County households earn
- How Cuyahoga County residents earn a living
- What it costs to live in Cuyahoga County
- Places inside Cuyahoga County
- The counties around Cuyahoga County
- A Cuyahoga County household budget, worked through
- People and households in Cuyahoga County
- What the numbers mean for Cuyahoga County borrowers
- A Cuyahoga County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in Ohio
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Cuyahoga County by the numbers
With an estimated 1,245,873 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Cuyahoga County ranks 2nd of 88 in Ohio for population. It covers 457 square miles of land, or about 2,725 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Cleveland, OH metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 57 places in the county (57 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Cleveland, with about 366,097 residents, or 29% of the county.
What Cuyahoga County households earn
Cuyahoga County households have a median income of $64,468 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 53rd of 88 in Ohio.
| Income band | Share in Cuyahoga County | Difference from Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.2% | +4.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.5% | -1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.0% | -3.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.4% | +0.3 pts |
Some 28% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 31% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 16.1% of Cuyahoga County residents in poverty, against 13.3% across Ohio. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.503 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $64,468 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Cuyahoga County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Cuyahoga County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 27% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (12%). Education and health care stands out: 27% of workers here, versus 24% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 6.6% in Cuyahoga County. 8% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 16% work from home. 12.2% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Cuyahoga County | Gap to Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.8% | +2.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.0% | +1.7 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.8% | -2.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.4% | -0.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.5% | +0.1 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.2% | +1.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Cuyahoga County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,060 in Cuyahoga County versus $1,034 statewide. 48% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 25% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $195,400, about 3.0 times the median household income. 59% of Cuyahoga County households own their home and 41% rent. Median construction year: 1957.
| Cost | Cuyahoga County | Ohio figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,060/mo | $1,034/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $195,400 | $214,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 59% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 46% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 21% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 0.5% | 3.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 8% | n/a |
Places inside Cuyahoga County
The table lists the 14 largest of 57 Census places in Cuyahoga County, by population. Together all 57 hold about 1,231,438 people, so roughly 1% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $231,250 at the median in Gates Mills, $22,116 in East Cleveland. City guides exist for the linked Cuyahoga County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | city | 366,097 | $40,801 | $945 | 7 mi |
| Parma | city | 79,870 | $69,295 | $1,087 | 13 mi |
| Lakewood | city | 50,007 | $68,954 | $1,070 | 11 mi |
| Euclid | city | 48,823 | $50,285 | $1,025 | 5 mi |
| Strongsville | city | 45,983 | $103,253 | $1,302 | 20 mi |
| Cleveland Heights | city | 44,497 | $72,826 | $1,216 | 4 mi |
| Westlake | city | 34,104 | $112,200 | $1,570 | 18 mi |
| North Olmsted | city | 31,924 | $84,363 | $1,141 | 19 mi |
| North Royalton | city | 30,972 | $83,670 | $1,116 | 18 mi |
| Garfield Heights | city | 29,269 | $54,593 | $1,129 | 9 mi |
| Shaker Heights | city | 28,922 | $104,073 | $1,168 | 6 mi |
| Solon | city | 23,943 | $139,089 | $1,626 | 14 mi |
| Maple Heights | city | 23,258 | $53,414 | $1,338 | 10 mi |
| South Euclid | city | 21,534 | $81,297 | $1,367 | 5 mi |
The counties around Cuyahoga County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Cuyahoga County's, from 23 to 34 miles away. Geauga County leads the group on income ($107,860), Summit County trails ($71,622), and Cuyahoga County out-earns 0 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga County | - | $64,468 | $1,060/mo | 59% |
| Geauga County, OH | 23 mi | $107,860 | $1,083/mo | 87% |
| Lake County, OH | 26 mi | $80,925 | $1,113/mo | 76% |
| Summit County, OH | 30 mi | $71,622 | $1,026/mo | 68% |
| Lorain County, OH | 31 mi | $73,347 | $966/mo | 74% |
| Medina County, OH | 34 mi | $94,968 | $1,143/mo | 80% |
| Portage County, OH | 34 mi | $75,766 | $1,064/mo | 70% |
A Cuyahoga County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Cuyahoga County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Cuyahoga County: $5,372
- Median rent: $1,060, or 20 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 36% cap, $1,934 total minus rent leaves $874
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
People and households in Cuyahoga County
College graduates make up 37% of the adult population. 5.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Cuyahoga County | Ohio statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 39.7 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 36.5% | 31.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 8.2% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.7% | 6.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 12.2% | 7.5% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.5% | 13.0% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.6% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 21.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.6% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
What the numbers mean for Cuyahoga County borrowers
Based on the Cuyahoga County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Tight rental budgets. With 48% of Cuyahoga County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
A Cuyahoga County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Verify the Ohio license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Checking a lender's license in Ohio
The Ohio Division of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Ohio license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The Ohio guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
More local guides:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Cuyahoga County?
$64,468 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,389 for Ohio. It ranks 53rd of 88 in the state.
What do renters pay in Cuyahoga County?
$1,060 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
Which towns does the Cuyahoga County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 57 Census places: Cleveland, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Strongsville.
Are Cuyahoga County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Cuyahoga County check a lender's license?
With the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.