What it's like to live in Brunswick
Brunswick is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and household incomes running above the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Brunswick deals with cold winters, heavy snowfall, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 65" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Brunswick compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Brunswick
Based on Brunswick's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,314
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $46,280 a year
- 44% of Brunswick renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,910
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 18% below US
$1,157/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,157 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $249,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $249,100 · 44% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 89% below US
37 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 501/100k · Brunswick Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cuyahoga Valley National Park (13 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Brunswick's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,157/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Brunswick
All Ohio guides →Moving to Strongsville →
5 mi away · pop. 45,983
Rent $1,302/mo · Income $103,253
Compare with Brunswick →Moving to North Royalton →
6 mi away · pop. 30,972
Rent $1,116/mo · Income $83,670
Compare with Brunswick →Not sure Brunswick is the one?
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