Akron, OH — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Ohio·Akron

Summit County · Akron · population 189,664

Affordability
Akron, OH
Image: Wikipedia · Akron, Ohio
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Akron stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $140,512
1-year +2.5%
5-yr CAGR +6.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$141k$58k$88k$117k$146k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
77/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,135/mo$762$983$1,204202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent134140100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 10.3
Buy

At a 10.3 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Akron on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 10.3 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
63 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
70 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
43 · w16%
Rent YoY
73 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
83 · w10%
Long thesis

Akron offers a $140,512 median home with +6.0% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Akron's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Akron

Akron is a city in Summit County, Ohio, with an estimated population of 189,664. The median home value in Akron is $140,512 as of 2026-04, up 2.5% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Akron average $1,135 per month, up 4.3% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Affordable AND rising: median home $140,512 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +2.5% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Akron (Wikipedia)

Akron is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Northeast Ohio along the Little Cuyahoga River, approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Cleveland. Akron had a population of 190,469 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-most populous city in Ohio. The Akron metropolitan area has an estimated 702,000 residents.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorShammas Malik (D) unit_pref = Imperial
Area62.27 sq mi
Elevation945 ft
Incorporated1825
Density3075.40/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Summit County right now.

NWS active alerts (OH)Ohio Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Summit County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Akron

22 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Fairlawn Heights$351,511+2.0%
2Northwest Akron$276,212+3.6%
3Merriman Valley$235,736+2.7%
4Wallhaven$212,075+1.7%
5Portage Lakes$209,791+3.4%
6Highland Square$162,103+0.5%
7Ellet$159,772+1.8%
8Chapel Hill$151,068+6.8%
9Downtown$141,023+1.8%
10Firestone Park$135,426+2.5%
11Goodyear Heights$128,165+4.4%
12Elizabeth Park Valley$117,744+16.8%
13Rolling Acres$115,117+4.3%
14North Hill$113,537+0.8%
15Kenmore$108,499+3.3%
16West Akron$106,264-0.3%
17University of Ohio Akron$97,528+2.6%
18South Akron$83,764-2.4%
19Lane-Wooster$80,369-6.1%
20East Akron$78,664-0.6%
21Middlebury$77,334-4.5%
22Summit Lake$72,488+2.4%

Cities like Akron

Dayton, OH67 · RisingLorain, OH73 · RisingEuclid, OH69 · RisingMiddletown, OH69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Akron

ToolCan I afford Akron?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Akron rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Akron to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAkron cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
36° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
83° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
178
~49% of year
Annual precip
39″ rain
28″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Akron area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Akron listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$67,800
Ohio state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareFinance

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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