Population 50,248 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lakewood
Household size in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.16 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.13 | 2.44 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.08 | 2.39 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.92 | 2.38 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | −0.09 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Lakewood is a place of small households, averaging 1.92 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.16 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Lakewood has the smallest households of any Ohio city with 5,000+ people.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 40.5 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.1 | 41.5 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 42.3 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 42.5 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +2.0 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Lakewood is 37.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 36.5, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 11.9% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 11.2% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.2% of households in Lakewood, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 6.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 17 of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lakewood
Renters in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.1% | 31.7% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.7% | 33.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.8% | 34.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 55.6% | 33.5% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Lakewood rent: 55.6% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 34.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.5 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 10.8% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.3% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Lakewood is close to the national rate: 8.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.0 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1963 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1964 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1942 | 1964 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1942 | 1966 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Lakewood is a place of older homes: half were built before 1942, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only two of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $732 | $833 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $732 | $872 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $814 | $949 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,132 | $1,216 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$400 | +$383 | +$377 | +$606 |
Rent in Lakewood runs $1,132 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $400 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lakewood
Bachelor's degrees in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1% | 27.3% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.4% | 28.6% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.4% | 30.8% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.3% | 34.5% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Lakewood is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (55.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 16.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.4% | 87.9% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 88.9% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 90.3% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.4% | 91.8% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lakewood: 95.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Cleveland area | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 9.3% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.1% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 5.6% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Lakewood is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lakewood compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | 1.92 | 37.2 | 4.2% | 55.6% | 8.2% | 1942 | $1,132 | 55.3% | 95.4% | 5.2% |
| Rocky River | 2.26 | 43.7 | 5.7% | 30.3% | 8.3% | 1960 | $1,043 | 64.1% | 97.7% | 2.5% |
| Linndale | 2.27 | 23.1 | 19.3% | 69.3% | 8.3% | 1959 | $1,098 | 14.8% | 65.5% | 16.5% |
| Fairview Park | 2.21 | 42.2 | 6.6% | 30.3% | 5.2% | 1958 | $1,206 | 48.6% | 96.7% | 4.3% |
| Brooklyn | 2.24 | 46.7 | 10.5% | 40.3% | 6.7% | 1960 | $1,086 | 18.9% | 87.1% | 3.4% |
| Brook Park | 2.31 | 44.4 | 9.8% | 17.4% | 4.7% | 1962 | $1,253 | 16.1% | 90.3% | 3.9% |
| Cleveland area | 2.38 | 42.5 | 11.6% | 33.5% | 8.4% | 1966 | $1,216 | 34.5% | 91.8% | 5.6% |
| Bay Village | 2.61 | 42.6 | 4.0% | 8.6% | 4.1% | 1959 | $1,570 | 69.1% | 98.8% | 2.2% |
| Parma Heights | 2.23 | 43.4 | 11.7% | 42.2% | 5.5% | 1963 | $1,186 | 28.2% | 90.9% | 4.3% |
| Westlake | 2.36 | 46.3 | 6.4% | 27.3% | 8.8% | 1981 | $1,843 | 60.5% | 95.6% | 3.1% |
| Parma | 2.35 | 42.7 | 10.4% | 27.8% | 6.2% | 1960 | $1,173 | 24.4% | 92.0% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Ballwin, MO · Beaumont, CA · Wheaton, MD · Bluffton, SC · Campbell, CA · Wayne, NJ · Crystal Lake, IL · Davis, CA · Dunwoody, GA · East Hartford, CT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lakewood. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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