Lakewood, Ohio

Lakewood is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, located on the southern shore of Lake Erie. It was established in 1889 and grew as one of Cleveland's historical streetcar suburbs. Today, Lakewood is part of the larger Cleveland metropolitan area.

According to the 2020 census, Lakewood has a population of 50,942 people, making it the third largest city in Cuyahoga County. It sits behind Cleveland and Parma in size. The city has a rich history and offers many places for people to live, work, and enjoy their lives.

History

Lakewood's history begins with Native American tribes who lived in the area until 1805. After that, American settlers arrived and began farming. The land was great for growing fruit, which is why you'll see names like Orchard Grove today.

Lakewood became a village in 1889 and grew quickly, especially when streetcars started running from Cleveland. Over the years, Lakewood has seen many changes, including the development of new neighborhoods and recognition for its efforts in preserving historic buildings. Today, Lakewood continues to grow and adapt while remembering its past.

Geography

Lakewood is a city located about 6 miles west of Downtown Cleveland. It sits along the shore of Lake Erie and is surrounded by several neighborhoods and suburbs. According to the United States Census Bureau, Lakewood covers an area of 6.69 square miles, with 5.53 square miles of land and 1.16 square miles of water.

Lakewood has many interesting neighborhoods. The Arts District is centered around the Beck Center for the Arts. Birdtown, in the southeastern corner, is known for its streets named after birds and was built for workers of a company in the 1890s. Clifton Boulevard is a busy street with many homes and apartment buildings. Clifton Park is the wealthiest area, filled with large Victorian mansions. Downtown Lakewood is the main part of the city, with offices, restaurants, and shops. The Edge neighborhood has many places for concerts and dining. Victorian Village features beautiful Victorian homes. The Gold Coast has tall buildings near Lake Erie. Rockport Square is a newer area with condos and lofts. The West End is the westernmost neighborhood along the Rocky River.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lakewood had a population of 50,942 people. The middle age was 35.2 years. About 15% of the people were younger than 18, and 14% were 65 or older. For every 100 girls and women, there were about 96 boys and men, and for every 100 girls and women aged 18 and older, there were about 96 boys and men the same age.

Most people in Lakewood, about 83%, were from one group, called non-Hispanic White. Other groups made up the rest: about 5% were non-Hispanic Black, 2% Asian, less than 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, and smaller numbers from other groups. About 5% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

All of Lakewood’s people lived in towns and cities; none lived in the countryside.

There were about 26,441 homes in Lakewood. About 17% of these homes had children under 18 living in them. About 28% of the homes were places where a man lived alone without a wife, and about 34% were places where a woman lived alone without a husband. Almost half of all homes were places where just one person lived, and about 12% of homes had only one older person living alone.

There were about 28,802 places to live, called housing units. About 8% of these places were empty. Not many of the places that people could buy were empty, but about 6% of the places people could rent were empty.

2010 census

In the year 2010, Lakewood had 52,131 people. They lived in 25,274 homes. The number of people in each home was about 2 on average, and the number of people in each family was about 3.

The middle age was 35.4 years. About 20% of the people were younger than 18, about 10% were between 18 and 24, about 34% were between 25 and 44, about 26% were between 45 and 64, and about 11% were 65 or older. About half of the people were girls and women, and the other half were boys and men.

Most people in Lakewood, about 88%, were White. Other groups made up the rest: about 6% were African American, about 2% were from other races, and about 3% were from two or more races. About 4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

About 23% of homes had children under 18 living in them. About 30% of homes were places where a man and a woman lived together as a married couple. About 11% of homes were places where a woman lived alone without a husband, and about 4% were places where a man lived alone without a wife. About 56% of homes were not families — they were places where people lived alone or with roommates who were not family.

About 45% of homes were places where just one person lived, and about 10% of homes had only one older person living alone. The number of people in each home was about 2 on average, and the number of people in each family was about 3 on average.

Ethnicity and immigration

Lakewood has people from many different places and backgrounds. Some of the groups of people who live there include Albanian, Arab, Chinese, German, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Mexican, Nepalese, Puerto Rican, Polish, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian.

In 2019, about 12% of people in Lakewood spoke a language other than English at home. Some of these languages were Arabic, Spanish, Albanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, and Hungarian.

Many people in Lakewood were born in other countries. They come from places like Southeast Europe (especially Albania, Romania, Greece, and the former Yugoslavia), the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, and Iran), South Asia (India, Nepal, and Myanmar), and countries from the former USSR (Russia, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine). In 2019, about 9% of people in Lakewood were born in another country.

Economy

Lakewood Hospital opened in 1907 and was bought by the city in 1931. Later, in 2006, it joined the Cleveland Clinic. In 2015, the clinic decided to close the hospital in 2016 and build a new family medical center instead. This new center, which has services like outpatient care and an emergency department, opened in 2018. All 845 hospital workers were given new jobs in the Cleveland Clinic system. Some people in the community wanted to keep the old hospital open, but the new center was built instead.

The Cleveland Clinic also built a new facility on Detroit Avenue in 2005. They started tearing down an old office building in 2016 to make way for a new $34 million health building. The emergency department at the old hospital stayed open during this time.

Arts and culture

Lakewood has a wonderful public library with two branches. The main branch is on Detroit Avenue, and there is a smaller one on Madison Avenue. The library has many books and materials and has won several awards.

There is also a big performance space called the Lakewood Civic Auditorium at Lakewood High School. It can hold up to 2,000 people and has a special ceramic sculpture outside. The Beck Center for the Arts is the largest arts center on Cleveland’s west shore.

Some well-known businesses started in Lakewood, including a clothing and ski store, a chocolate shop, and a restaurant chain.

Parks and recreation

Lakewood Park is one of the biggest parks near Lake Erie in Ohio. It has a stage for live concerts, a swimming pool, picnic areas, a playground for kids, places to play baseball and volleyball, and a skate park that opened in 2004. The park covers more than 150 acres of green space.

In 2006, the park added a beautiful walkway along the lake where you can see downtown Cleveland. In 2015, a special set of steps called the "Solstice Steps" was built to face the sunset on the longest day of the year. The Charles A. Foster Pool was renovated and opened for the 2023 swimming season. Nearby, the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks offers more space to explore, and there is also a dog park for pets.

Government

Lakewood is led by an elected mayor and council. The council has seven members: four represent different parts of the city, and three are elected by everyone. The city used to support one political group, but now many people there support a different group that focuses on fairness and helping people.

Some important leaders from the past include Anthony Sinagra, Madeline Cain, and Ed FitzGerald. Today, Lakewood is represented in important government jobs by Shontel Brown, Nickie Antonio, and Michael Skindell.

Education

Lakewood has public schools managed by an elected school board. In 2017, the city finished rebuilding or updating its high school, two middle schools, and seven elementary schools. This was the first big school building project since 1920. The public schools include several elementary schools, two middle schools, and Lakewood High School.

There are also private schools in Lakewood, such as Lakewood Catholic Academy for grades K–8 and St. Edward High School for boys in grades 9–12. Other private schools include Padre Pio Academy and Lakewood Lutheran School. For college, North Coast College in Lakewood focuses on graphic and fashion design.

Media

Lakewood has a few newspapers and online sites that share news about the city. These include The Sun Post-Herald and The Lakewood Observer.

Transportation

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has several bus routes that run through Lakewood. These buses go east to Cleveland State University in downtown Cleveland and west to places like North Olmsted, Bay Village, and Westlake. There are also two train stations near Lakewood that connect to the Red Line, which goes to downtown Cleveland and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Lakewood has roads like I-90 along its southern edge, with several places to get on and off. The Cleveland Memorial Shoreway starts near Lakewood and helps people travel to and from downtown Cleveland.

The city is also friendly for bicycles, with special paths for riders to share the road safely.

Notable people

Birthplace

Lakewood has been the birthplace of many well-known people. Some of these include Richard Celeste, who served as Governor of Ohio and led the Peace Corps, and Teri Garr, an actress, singer, and comedian. Other notable individuals born in Lakewood are Brian Hoyer, a quarterback for the New England Patriots, and Seán Patrick O'Malley, the Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Boston.

Former/current residents

Many famous people have also lived in Lakewood at some point. This includes John Lithgow, a well-known actor, and Jimmie Foxx, a professional baseball player who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. Others include Burgess Meredith, an actor, and Jack Buck, a sportscaster who was part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1987.