What it's like to live in Parma Heights
Parma Heights is a small city in Ohio with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Parma Heights deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 64" per year
How Parma Heights compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Parma Heights
Based on Parma Heights's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,222
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,440 a year
- 54% of Parma Heights renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$35,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $17,510
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,111/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,111 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $175,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $175,100 · 54% 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▼ 78% below US
73 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 191/100k · Parma Heights Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% 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▼ 24% 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
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary and 2 private schools. 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
Parma 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 air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,111/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Parma Heights
All Ohio guides →Moving to Middleburg Heights →
3 mi away · pop. 15,786
Rent $1,079/mo · Income $78,815
Compare with Parma Heights →Moving to Brook Park →
3 mi away · pop. 18,284
Rent $1,122/mo · Income $71,332
Compare with Parma Heights →Moving to Brooklyn →
3 mi away · pop. 11,158
Rent $971/mo · Income $69,346
Compare with Parma Heights →Not sure Parma Heights is the one?
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