What it's like to live in Garfield Heights
Garfield Heights is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Garfield Heights deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
How Garfield Heights compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Garfield Heights
Based on Garfield Heights's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,258
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,160 a year
- 57% of Garfield Heights renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$21,980
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $10,990
- Homes cost 2.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,129/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,129 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $109,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $109,900 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 26% above US
416 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1596/100k · Garfield Heights Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 19% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 79°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 59% below US
15% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Cuyahoga Valley National Park (11 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Garfield Heights's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,129/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Garfield Heights
All Ohio guides →Moving to Maple Heights →
2 mi away · pop. 23,258
Rent $1,338/mo · Income $53,414
Compare with Garfield Heights →Moving to Bedford →
4 mi away · pop. 12,931
Rent $1,059/mo · Income $57,308
Compare with Garfield Heights →Moving to Warrensville Heights →
4 mi away · pop. 13,545
Rent $1,044/mo · Income $49,669
Compare with Garfield Heights →Moving to Seven Hills →
5 mi away · pop. 11,603
Rent $1,586/mo · Income $97,222
Compare with Garfield Heights →Not sure Garfield Heights is the one?
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