The Town FilesMentor, Ohio
City in Lake County · population 47,450 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $247,700
- Household income
- $88,949
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 114 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 46.5
Mentor is a city of 47,450 people in Lake County, Ohio. The median home is worth $247,700, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better transit than 82% of Ohio towns, more upscale than 76% of Ohio towns, better for cycling than 76% of Ohio towns.
How Mentor ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Mentor is worth $247,700, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $88,949, which is more affordable than 42% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $1,239 a month. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mentor | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $247,700 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $1,239 | $914 |
| Median household income | $88,949 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mentor
| People | Mentor | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.6% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.7% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 90.9% |
Weather in Mentor
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 23.7°F. About 40.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 113.7 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 100 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mentor since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 4, 1969 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 10, 2013.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| April 24, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3286: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| August 1, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1656: Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 98,558 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,040 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Mentor itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Mentor
12 public schools with 6,782 students, about 18.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mentor High School | 9-12 | 2,318 | 20.5 |
| Memorial Middle School | 6-8 | 848 | 15.4 |
| Shore Middle School | 6-8 | 757 | 15.8 |
| Ridge Elementary School | K-5 | 681 | 17.5 |
| Hopkins Elementary School | K-5 | 471 | 19.6 |
| Bellflower Elementary School | K-5 | 469 | 18.0 |
| Orchard Hollow Elementary School | K-5 | 376 | 16.3 |
| Fairfax Elementary School | K-5 | 324 | 19.1 |
| Sterling Morton Elementary School | K-5 | 296 | 16.4 |
| Garfield Preschool | PK-PK | 135 | 16.9 |
| Cardinal Autism Resource and Education School (CARES) | K-12 | 76 | 12.7 |
| Mentor High School Preschool | PK-PK | 31 | — |
Towns near Mentor
- Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH2.2 mi · 7,131 people · home $188,500
- Painesville, OH4.6 mi · 20,312 people · home $158,800
- Willoughby, OH5.1 mi · 23,959 people · home $216,900
- Fairport Harbor, OH5.1 mi · 3,108 people · home $147,500
- Eastlake, OH5.3 mi · 17,670 people · home $172,100
- Kirtland, OH6.5 mi · 6,937 people · home $391,300
- Willowick, OH7.8 mi · 14,204 people · home $166,000
- Willoughby Hills, OH8.9 mi · 10,019 people · home $328,600
Mentor questions
Is Mentor, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mentor scores better for retirees than 44% of Ohio towns and quieter than 37%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Mentor?
The median owner-occupied home in Mentor is valued at $247,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,949, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,239 a month.
What is the weather like in Mentor?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 23.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.5 inches of precipitation a year and 113.7 inches of snow.
Does Mentor get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mentor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 4, 1969. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)