Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Yes, by almost any measure. Brecksville earns an A+, 23rd among Ohio's 987 graded towns. Its schools rank ahead of 95% of Ohio towns, residents are healthier than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and it reports less crime per resident than 92% of U.S. towns. The exception is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $443K for a typical one and 6.3 times the Cleveland metro’s $71K median household income. 60% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Brecksville, where Ohio’s towns sit at 24% and U.S. towns at 29%. Only 49 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on hazard risk. The biggest place to walk is Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 4,226 acres with 2.1 miles of trail.
Where Brecksville beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Brecksville-Broadview Heights Elementary School | PK–5 | 1,715 |
| South Suburban Montessori | PK–8 | 160 |
| The Nest | PK–K | 25 |
Census counts: 116 in 1880, 13,635 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1875 and 6 maps from 1903 on.
11 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Brecksville is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Brecksville. Close and well known come first.
Big draw15 mi MuseumRock and Roll Hall of Fame580K visitors a year
in town National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park3.0M visitors a year
Big draw36 mi MuseumPro Football Hall of Fame192K visitors a year
Big draw14 mi Stadium & arenaProgressive Field
14 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Field
14 mi Stadium & arenaRocket ArenaRock and Roll Hall of Fame: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Pro Football Hall of Fame: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 · Progressive Field: Jsawczuk, Public domain · Huntington Bank Field: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 · Rocket Arena: Cards84664, CC BY-SA 4.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brecksville, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Brecksville.
Brecksville has schools in the top 5% of Ohio and has less tooth loss than most of Ohio, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Ohio.
At 6.3 years of the Cleveland metro’s $71K median household income, the typical home (about $443K) costs more against local pay than in 96% of Ohio towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $7,271, against $2,822 across Ohio, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Brecksville’s median rent is $1,588 a month. The typical Brecksville home is worth about $443,000, up 3.4% in a year, 80% above the Ohio typical home. 85% of Brecksville households own their home.
| Brecksville | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,588 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 85% | 77% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its A+ ranks #35 of the 993 Ohio towns we grade for schools. Its A+ for schools comes with a C− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $443K.
Its public schools are run by the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brecksville-Broadview Heights Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 1,715 | – |
| Cuyahoga Valley Career CenterLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
32 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves. The trail density in Brecksville is 1.6 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brecksville Reservation | 27.7 mi | 3,364 |
| 2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park | 2.1 mi | 4,226 |
| 3. The Meadows Trailhead | 0.4 mi | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its widest gap with Ohio is tooth loss: 5.9% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 15.3% statewide.
13% of adults report frequent mental distress in Brecksville. Brecksville beats the Ohio average on 22 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 11% of adults report frequent physical distress in Brecksville.
| Brecksville | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 28% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Brecksville | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.9% | 15.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.2% | 14.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.2% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 21 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brecksville.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Brecksville has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 21° and about 65 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
21.6% of workers work from home, against 13% across Ohio.
Most working residents leave Brecksville for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Brecksville fell to 9,018 in 2023, 517 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Cleveland (27%), Broadview Heights (4%) and Independence (3%).
| Brecksville | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $135,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 22% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
10 within 15 miles of the center of Brecksville
About 3 of every 100 Brecksville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
11.2% of the town is conserved land, across 10 parks and preserves.
11 places in Brecksville on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Brecksville.
City in Ohio, United States
Brecksville is a city in southern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The city's population was 13,635 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Cleveland and is included in the Cleveland metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Brecksville.
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecksville | #23 | A+ | C− | A | A+ | A |
| Sagamore Hills Township | #365 | B+ | C− | — | A | B+ |
| Independence | #136 | A | C− | B− | A | A |
| Broadview Heights | #7 | A+ | C− | A+ | A | A |
| Richfield Township | #217 | A− | D | — | A+ | A− |
| Boston Township | — | — | C | — | B | A− |
Boston Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Sagamore Hills Township, Richfield Township and Boston Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Brecksville with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Brecksville grades A+ overall, better than 98% of U.S. towns and #23 of 987 in Ohio. It grades A for health, A for safety and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
4 notable people were born here, including Christen Westphal and Eunice Gibbs Allyn.
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