Lakewood vs Westlake
Lakewood, Ohio versus Westlake, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lakewood and Westlake score about the same overall (52 vs 54 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lakewood | Westlake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $104k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $221k | $311k |
| Monthly Rent | $941 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.20% | 1.73% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.07% | 12.56% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.0 in | 42.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8 in | 63.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 157 days | 157 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 106 days | 105 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 3.3 | 26.8 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 82.2 | 67.7 |
| Violent Crime | 620/100k | 457/100k |
| Property Crime | 1376/100k | 418/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,605 | 34,027 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 47.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+34 | D+34 |
| White (%) | 84.1% | 84.6% |
| Black (%) | 5.8% | 2.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 6.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.6% | 92.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 91.89 | 73.18 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lakewood or Westlake more affordable?
- Westlake has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Lakewood's $43k and Westlake's $43k. Median rent is $941 in Lakewood versus $1k in Westlake.
- Is Lakewood or Westlake safer?
- Westlake has the lower violent crime rate. Lakewood reports 620/100k and Westlake reports 457/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lakewood or Westlake?
- The median home value is $221k in Lakewood and $311k in Westlake, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.