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

Cuyahoga County · Cleveland-Elyria · population 17,998

First-time buyersShrinkingSmall-town feel
View watchlist →
70
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Berea stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.6% in the last year. population shrinking 0.7% per year.

Median home $242,994
1-year +5.6%
5-yr CAGR +6.4%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$243k$119k$163k$208k$253k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
75/100
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 vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 16.7
Lean buy

At a 16.7 price-to-rent ratio, Berea is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
77 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
72 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
34 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
72 · w10%
Long thesis

Berea has held up across the cycle: home values at $242,994 with +6.4% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Berea's population is shrinking 0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.

About Berea

Berea is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, with an estimated population of 17,998. It anchors the Cleveland-Elyria metro area. The population has contracted 0.7% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Berea is $242,994 as of 2026-04, up 5.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.4% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Berea average $1,215 per month. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Affordable AND rising: median home $242,994 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
Healthy 5-year run: +6.4% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Quiet strength: +5.6% 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

Flat or shrinking population: -0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

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 Cuyahoga County right now.

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

Cities like Berea

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 Cleveland-Elyria 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 Berea listings on the major real-estate sites.

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

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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