While big cities like Cleveland offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Cleveland. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Cleveland without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Cleveland are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Cleveland area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Cleveland for 2025:
What’s the best suburb of Cleveland? Pepper Pike ranks as the best suburb of Cleveland for 2025 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Pepper Pike, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Cleveland ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Ohio:
The 10 Best Cleveland Suburbs To Live For 2025
/10
Population: 6,807
Median Income: $215,373
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
Poverty Rate: 2.2%
More on Pepper Pike: Data
Pepper Pike is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Cleveland area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Pepper Pike.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $215,373 a year, which is the highest in the Cleveland region. And only 1.38% are out of work. Homes average more than $558,300 each.
/10
Population: 9,480
Median Income: $158,968
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%
Poverty Rate: 3.2%
More on Oakwood: Data
Oakwood is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Cleveland for 2025.
It ranks 7th for incomes in the area and only 3.67% of residents lack insurance, good for 40th best.
/10
Population: 23,007
Median Income: $180,931
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
Poverty Rate: 3.3%
More on Hudson: Data
Here in Hudson, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Cleveland metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Hudson.
/10
Population: 25,456
Median Income: $110,174
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
Poverty Rate: 3.9%
More on Avon Lake: Data
Avon Lake ranks as the 4th best suburb of Cleveland for 2025.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Avon Lake and the schools are some of the best around.
Great place to grow up with very good schools. Tight community that has grown rapidly. Everyone seems to know each other and a lot of effort is put into keeping the community safe and pleasant.
Going down to the lake is a favorite activity for locals. Friday night football is also a big deal in this town. Not many food options, but the surrounding communities offer more in the way of restaurants and shopping. It is a bedroom community.
/10
Population: 2,514
Median Income: $142,083
Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Poverty Rate: 2.6%
More on Silver Lake: Data
Coming in as the fifth best is Silver Lake.
Silver Lake gets kudos for having the 22nd most expensive homes in the Cleveland area, where houses sell for an average of $299,500. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
/10
Population: 21,490
Median Income: $93,956
Unemployment Rate: 2.3%
Poverty Rate: 4.9%
More on Rocky River: Data
Rocky River is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 2.32%.
According to online reports, Rocky River is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Cleveland area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 25,082
Median Income: $126,618
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%
Poverty Rate: 3.8%
More on Avon: Data
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Avon.
Avon schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 17.0 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
/10
Population: 3,972
Median Income: $166,481
Unemployment Rate: 2.9%
Poverty Rate: 4.2%
More on South Russell: Data
South Russell is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 1.86% of people lack insurance, good for 12th in the area.
/10
Population: 4,209
Median Income: $96,914
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
Poverty Rate: 3.4%
More on Chagrin Falls: Data
Is ‘Everything Better In Chagrin Falls?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
/10
Population: 3,442
Median Income: $206,818
Unemployment Rate: 3.9%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on Moreland Hills: Data
And rounding out the top ten for 2025 is Moreland Hills.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Cleveland for 2025
Figuring out the best suburbs around Cleveland was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2019-2023 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Cleveland.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 83 suburbs to evaluate around Cleveland.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 83 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Cleveland.” We’re lookin’ at you, Pepper Pike.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Cleveland suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Cleveland ‘Burbs of 2025
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Cleveland are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Cleveland but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Table: Best Cleveland Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pepper Pike, OH | 6,807 | $215,373 | $558,300 |
| 2 | Oakwood, OH | 9,480 | $158,968 | $350,100 |
| 3 | Hudson, OH | 23,007 | $180,931 | $444,800 |
| 4 | Avon Lake, OH | 25,456 | $110,174 | $337,200 |
| 5 | Silver Lake, OH | 2,514 | $142,083 | $299,500 |
| 6 | Rocky River, OH | 21,490 | $93,956 | $327,600 |
| 7 | Avon, OH | 25,082 | $126,618 | $377,100 |
| 8 | South Russell, OH | 3,972 | $166,481 | $414,700 |
| 9 | Chagrin Falls, OH | 4,209 | $96,914 | $414,500 |
| 10 | Moreland Hills, OH | 3,442 | $206,818 | $588,000 |
| 11 | Highland Heights, OH | 8,619 | $117,820 | $342,400 |
| 12 | Beachwood, OH | 13,850 | $102,798 | $381,600 |
| 13 | Shaker Heights, OH | 29,004 | $97,721 | $288,000 |
| 14 | Lyndhurst, OH | 13,854 | $88,701 | $198,900 |
| 15 | Brecksville, OH | 13,656 | $126,888 | $360,100 |
| 16 | Westlake, OH | 34,036 | $110,101 | $336,100 |
| 17 | Solon, OH | 23,970 | $135,180 | $375,700 |
| 18 | Independence, OH | 7,543 | $114,049 | $305,500 |
| 19 | Fairlawn, OH | 7,689 | $93,154 | $267,000 |
| 20 | Broadview Heights, OH | 19,768 | $99,431 | $292,500 |
| 21 | Aurora, OH | 17,386 | $125,567 | $371,400 |
| 22 | Twinsburg, OH | 19,346 | $95,097 | $288,700 |
| 23 | Richfield, OH | 3,711 | $78,426 | $292,000 |
| 24 | Sheffield, OH | 4,287 | $102,384 | $265,100 |
| 25 | Gates Mills, OH | 2,192 | $175,833 | $651,600 |
| 26 | Macedonia, OH | 12,142 | $108,059 | $294,500 |
| 27 | Strongsville, OH | 46,022 | $102,574 | $279,600 |
| 28 | Brunswick, OH | 35,284 | $85,313 | $233,300 |
| 29 | North Ridgeville, OH | 36,043 | $94,234 | $254,700 |
| 30 | Seven Hills, OH | 11,628 | $95,313 | $239,600 |
| 31 | Mentor, OH | 47,215 | $89,202 | $229,500 |
| 32 | Stow, OH | 34,317 | $91,933 | $238,000 |
| 33 | Mayfield, OH | 3,330 | $120,682 | $281,700 |
| 34 | University Heights, OH | 13,508 | $98,474 | $224,900 |
| 35 | Reminderville, OH | 5,370 | $104,890 | $316,200 |
| 36 | Olmsted Falls, OH | 8,640 | $93,907 | $214,800 |
| 37 | Middleburg Heights, OH | 15,817 | $78,324 | $213,100 |
| 38 | Kirtland, OH | 6,913 | $117,794 | $377,500 |
| 39 | Lagrange, OH | 2,736 | $84,943 | $243,800 |
| 40 | Amherst, OH | 12,796 | $93,043 | $222,700 |
| 41 | Orange, OH | 3,448 | $167,148 | $446,300 |
| 42 | Munroe Falls, OH | 5,019 | $75,089 | $223,800 |
| 43 | North Olmsted, OH | 32,031 | $85,435 | $202,400 |
| 44 | Tallmadge, OH | 18,394 | $91,273 | $226,400 |
| 45 | Wickliffe, OH | 12,639 | $79,052 | $158,400 |
| 46 | North Royalton, OH | 31,013 | $81,810 | $276,300 |
| 47 | Cleveland Heights, OH | 44,694 | $72,302 | $176,700 |
| 48 | Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH | 7,117 | $61,320 | $171,200 |
| 49 | Fairview Park, OH | 17,049 | $77,688 | $225,800 |
| 50 | Willowick, OH | 14,182 | $74,138 | $156,100 |
| 51 | Sheffield Lake, OH | 8,946 | $62,065 | $153,400 |
| 52 | Medina, OH | 26,040 | $76,099 | $231,700 |
| 53 | Walton Hills, OH | 2,083 | $103,547 | $268,000 |
| 54 | South Euclid, OH | 21,606 | $78,782 | $134,800 |
| 55 | Lakewood, OH | 50,229 | $65,925 | $241,500 |
| 56 | Berea, OH | 18,330 | $71,896 | $187,600 |
| 57 | Mayfield Heights, OH | 20,082 | $62,511 | $187,600 |
| 58 | Willoughby, OH | 23,934 | $70,884 | $206,200 |
| 59 | Chardon, OH | 5,246 | $86,618 | $274,500 |
| 60 | Willoughby Hills, OH | 9,979 | $61,641 | $305,800 |
| 61 | Eastlake, OH | 17,538 | $62,510 | $168,300 |
| 62 | Parma Heights, OH | 20,616 | $59,218 | $165,800 |
| 63 | Grafton, OH | 5,665 | $88,352 | $198,500 |
| 64 | Brooklyn, OH | 11,203 | $69,535 | $153,000 |
| 65 | Streetsboro, OH | 17,514 | $82,273 | $197,000 |
| 66 | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | 50,864 | $70,645 | $174,700 |
| 67 | Parma, OH | 80,131 | $67,425 | $157,600 |
| 68 | Brook Park, OH | 18,359 | $67,178 | $158,300 |
| 69 | Northfield, OH | 3,525 | $69,444 | $168,300 |
| 70 | Bedford Heights, OH | 10,876 | $47,066 | $137,500 |
| 71 | Richmond Heights, OH | 10,677 | $56,734 | $176,100 |
| 72 | Kent, OH | 27,190 | $42,524 | $210,700 |
| 73 | Fairport Harbor, OH | 3,092 | $56,184 | $135,500 |
| 74 | Euclid, OH | 48,991 | $48,696 | $114,700 |
| 75 | Bedford, OH | 12,960 | $56,563 | $124,900 |
| 76 | Warrensville Heights, OH | 13,585 | $49,256 | $111,200 |
| 77 | Elyria, OH | 52,833 | $53,204 | $142,800 |
| 78 | Maple Heights, OH | 23,350 | $52,823 | $89,600 |
| 79 | Painesville, OH | 20,453 | $50,455 | $151,400 |
| 80 | Garfield Heights, OH | 29,369 | $52,006 | $100,000 |
| 81 | East Cleveland, OH | 13,666 | $22,883 | $68,900 |
| 82 | Akron, OH | 189,526 | $48,544 | $111,200 |
| 83 | Lorain, OH | 65,207 | $45,799 | $123,500 |