Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Elyria gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $187K, 2.6 years of the Cleveland metro’s $71K median household income. It grades C− overall, ranked 914th of 987 in Ohio. The low prices come with trade-offs. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 91% of U.S. towns, with 37 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include Elyria Elks Club and First United Methodist Church. 20% of working residents work locally in Elyria, above both Ohio’s towns (6.8%) and U.S. towns (8%). Elyria is home to Lorain County Community College.
Where Elyria beats most towns.
Its 37 National Register listings are more than in 98% of Ohio towns with a listing.
Census counts: 168 in 1830, 52,656 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1905 and 4 maps from 1901 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Elyria is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Elyria, 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 Elyria.
Elyria trades workers with Cleveland and other neighbors, but it trails Amherst Township and its other neighbors on schools.
34% of adults get no exercise outside work in Elyria. Elyria beats the Ohio average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 16% of adults have diabetes in Elyria.
| Elyria | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| What stands out | Elyria | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 19.9% | 14.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 11.5% | 8.3% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.5% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Each of its 6 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its C, Amherst Township highest at B+.
Its public schools are run by the Elyria City Schools. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 599 | C− |
| Elyria High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,540 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
9.1 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Black River Reservation, at 76 acres.
| Elyria | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.8% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. West Recreation Field | 2.1 mi | 54 |
| 2. East Park | 1.5 mi | 26 |
| 3. Cascade Park | 1.3 mi | 59 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
60% of Elyria households own their home. Typical home values rose 4.7% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Elyria is $906 a month.
| Elyria | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $906 a month | $944 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 45% | 42% | 48% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Elyria.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Elyria has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Elyria’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Elyria has about as many jobs (21,619) as working residents, but only 4,602 people both live and work here.
About one in 5 of Elyria’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Elyria fell to 21,619 in 2023, 2,536 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Cleveland (9%), Westlake (5%) and Avon (4%).
| Elyria | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Elyria. Close and well known come first.
Big draw23 mi MuseumRock and Roll Hall of Fame580K visitors a year
Big draw31 mi Theme parkCedar Point3.8M visitors a year
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaProgressive Field
23 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Field
24 mi National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park3.0M visitors a year
23 mi Stadium & arenaRocket ArenaRock and Roll Hall of Fame: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cedar Point: Larry Pieniazek, User:Lar, en:User:Lar (primary), CC BY 2.5 · Progressive Field: Jsawczuk, Public domain · Huntington Bank Field: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 · Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Rocket Arena: Cards84664, CC BY-SA 4.0
3 within 15 miles of the center of Elyria
About 5 of every 100 Elyria residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Ohio.
37 places in Elyria on the National Register of Historic Places.
40 notable people were born in Elyria.
City in Ohio, United States
Elyria ( ə-LEER-ee-ə) is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The city is at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio. The population was 52,656 at the 2020 census. Located 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Cleveland, it is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area and home to Lorain County Community College.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
7 towns share a border with Elyria.
All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C−; Sheffield Township (C) is closest. North Ridgeville next door grades higher for schools (B+ to Elyria’s C) and lower for cost of living (C+ to B+).
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elyria | #914 | C− | B+ | C+ | C | D |
| Carlisle Township | #493 | B | B | — | B+ | C |
| Elyria Township | #816 | C | B+ | — | C | D |
| Eaton Township | #652 | B− | C | — | B | B− |
| Amherst Township | #545 | B− | B | — | B+ | C+ |
| North Ridgeville | #87 | A | C+ | A | B+ | B+ |
| Sheffield | #457 | B | C− | — | B | B+ |
| Sheffield Township | #777 | C | A− | — | C+ | D− |
Carlisle Township, Elyria Township, Eaton Township, Amherst Township, Sheffield and Sheffield Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Elyria with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Elyria grades C− overall, better than 17% of U.S. towns and #914 of 987 in Ohio. It grades D for health, C+ for safety and C for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
40 notable people were born here, including Tianna Madison-Bartoletta and Mark Povinelli.
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