The Town Files

Westlake, Ohio

City in Cuyahoga County · population 34,228 (2020 Census)

Map: where Westlake is in OhioWestlake
Median home
$368,200
Household income
$112,200
Jan low / Jul high
22° / 84°
Snow a year
64 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
19
Median age
46.9

Westlake is a city of 34,228 people in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The median home is worth $368,200, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for young professionals than 97% of Ohio towns, better for retirees than 95% of Ohio towns, more upscale than 92% of Ohio towns.

Westlake in our rankings:

How Westlake 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.

Westlake lifestyle rankings vs other Ohio townsRetirement95th pctFamilies52nd pctQuiet23rd pctWalkability68th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals97th pctVibrancy85th pctHip & trendy78th pctCollege town89th pctUpscale92nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling73rd pctTransit78th pctDriving11th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Westlake is worth $368,200, above the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $112,200, which is more affordable than 17% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $1,570 a month. 73.1% of households own their home.

Westlake vs Cuyahoga County vs typical Ohio townWestlakeCuyahoga CountyTypical Ohio townHome value$368,200$195,400$171,100Household income$112,200$64,468$67,019Monthly rent$1,570$1,060$914
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Ohio towns with 500+ people.
HousingWestlakeTypical Ohio town
Median home value$368,200$171,100
Median rent$1,570$914
Median household income$112,200$67,019
Home value ÷ income3.3×2.6×
Homeownership73.1%71.7%
Median year built19831965
Seasonal / vacation homes1.2%—

Who lives in Westlake

PeopleWestlakeTypical Ohio town
Median age46.940.6
Age 65 and over25.1%19.1%
Under 1820.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher60.2%21.3%
Below the poverty line4.9%10.3%
Veterans5.3%—
Born outside the U.S.12.6%—
Work from home21.4%8.6%
Average commute24.4 min23.3 min
Homes with broadband93.4%90.9%

Weather in Westlake

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 22.3°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 63.8 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.

Westlake monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing36°22°Jan39°24°Feb47°31°Mar60°41°Apr71°51°May80°61°Jun84°65°Jul82°64°Aug76°57°Sep64°47°Oct51°37°Nov40°28°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.018.42.515.13.110.83.82.73.83.83.73.63.93.60.13.44.53.012.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Cleveland station (4.4 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westlake since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 12 deaths and 471 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 6, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Westlake by decade31950s41960s51970s01980s11990s02000s12010s52020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 7, 2010.

Severe weather in Cuyahoga County since 1996

Storm events in Cuyahoga County since 1996 by typeHail253Flood30Tornado9High Wind84Lightning11Heavy Snow39Waterspout12Flash Flood98
NOAA Storm Events Database, Cuyahoga County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 28 deaths recorded.

Cuyahoga County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 31, 2020BiologicalDR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3457: Covid-19
January 3, 2013HurricaneDR-4098: Severe Storms And Flooding Due To The Remnants Of Hurricane Sandy
June 30, 2012Severe StormEM-3346: Severe Storms
July 2, 2006Severe StormDR-1651: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Cuyahoga County

Cuyahoga County had 705,152 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,134 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Westlake itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.

Largest industries in Cuyahoga CountyHealth care & social assistan…137,469 jobs · $74,271Manufacturing65,007 jobs · $84,597Hotels & restaurants54,952 jobs · $26,645Retail54,522 jobs · $37,201Professional & technical serv…46,403 jobs · $106,646Administrative & support37,750 jobs · $57,553
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Cuyahoga County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Cuyahoga 3.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Westlake

5 public schools with 3,308 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Westlake Elementary SchoolPK-41,23616.3
Westlake High School9-121,06315.2
Dover Intermediate School5-649614.6
Lee Burneson Middle School7-848111.7
Westlake Academy (charter)K-13216.0

Towns near Westlake

Westlake questions

Is Westlake, Ohio a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Westlake scores better for retirees than 95% of Ohio towns and quieter than 23%. 25.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).

How much does a house cost in Westlake?

The median owner-occupied home in Westlake is valued at $368,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $112,200, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,570 a month.

What is the weather like in Westlake?

July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 22.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 63.8 inches of snow.

Does Westlake get tornadoes?

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westlake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. The typical Ohio town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Westlake's Census boundary (GEOID 3983622). Comparisons use the median of Ohio towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.