What it's like to live in Fairview Park
Fairview Park is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fairview Park deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, cold winters, and heavy snowfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
How Fairview Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fairview Park
Based on Fairview Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,078
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,560 a year
- 45% of Fairview Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,910
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 26% below US
$1,039/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,039 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $239,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $239,100 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cuyahoga County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Cuyahoga County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 80% below US
66 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 633/100k · Fairview Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% 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▲ 35% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cuyahoga Valley National Park (19 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fairview Park's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a population that has been shrinking. A year of median rent ($1,039/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Fairview Park
All Ohio guides →Moving to Rocky River →
2 mi away · pop. 21,490
Rent $1,175/mo · Income $94,026
Compare with Fairview Park →Moving to Brook Park →
3 mi away · pop. 18,284
Rent $1,122/mo · Income $71,332
Compare with Fairview Park →Moving to North Olmsted →
4 mi away · pop. 31,924
Rent $1,141/mo · Income $84,363
Compare with Fairview Park →Moving to Lakewood →
4 mi away · pop. 50,007
Rent $1,070/mo · Income $68,954
Compare with Fairview Park →Not sure Fairview Park is the one?
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