Rocky River, OH — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Ohio·Rocky River

Cuyahoga County · Cleveland-Elyria · population 21,468

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
72
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Rocky River stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.2% in the last year.

Median home $400,190
1-year +6.2%
5-yr CAGR +6.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$400k$196k$269k$343k$416k201620182020202220242026

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: 23.8
Lean rent

At a 23.8 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Rocky River. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

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

Rocky River has held up across the cycle: home values at $400,190 with +6.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Rocky River'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 Rocky River

Rocky River is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, with an estimated population of 21,468. It anchors the Cleveland-Elyria metro area. The median home value in Rocky River is $400,190 as of 2026-04, up 6.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Rocky River average $1,402 per month. The composite momentum score is 72 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Trend still working: prices up 6.2% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
Healthy 5-year run: +6.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

Bear case

Flat or shrinking population: -0.3% 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 Rocky River

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 Rocky River 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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