New statistics shed light on not just the make-up of Cuyahoga County, but societal trends and how they compare to other communities of similar size across the country.
The population in Cuyahoga County declined by 45,000 people from 2011 to 2022, according to The Data Book, released Wednesday by the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission.According to the report, the average age in Cuyahoga County is 40 years old.
The 88-page report highlighted six areas of study: demographics, the economy, workforce, housing, transportation and environment.
According to the report’s executive summary, there is a robust workforce in the county, but not everyone is working. “Cuyahoga County has the fourth largest labor force among peer counties but ranks ninth in labor force participation at 63%,” the report states.
While new housing development has occurred in suburban areas throughout Northeast Ohio, the report finds Cuyahoga County did not see a corresponding change. “Despite an increase in households, relatively little new housing is being constructed in the County," the report outlines. “The County ranks near the bottom in both single- and multi-family new construction permits.”
The report shows that population diversity in Cuyahoga County has increased.
“Cuyahoga County is more diverse than most of the peer counties, with 43% of the population identifying as non-White, compared to the 11-County average of 39%,” the report states. “The County has also become more diverse in recent years, with the non-White population increasing by nearly four percent since 2010.”
Most county residents were born in Ohio. According to the report, “Cuyahoga County has a lower percentage of its population that was born outside the current state of residence than the 11-County average, indicating lower rates of migration to Cuyahoga County from outside Ohio.”
The economic analysis shows Cuyahoga County with 16% of residents living below the poverty line, ranking near the bottom comparatively with a median household income of $55.132, compared with an average income of the similar communities at $63,235.
“Overall, the economic indicators place Cuyahoga County around the middle when compared with the peer counties, the report states. “Despite certain positive trends in job–related metrics, the economic landscape of our county does not translate into a highly prosperous population. The unemployment rate, unfortunately, stands out as the highest among our peer counties. In addition, concerning statistics include the poverty rate, child poverty rate, and median household income, all of which place Cuyahoga County at the tenth spot out of eleven counties.”
The following counties were included in the analysis with Cuyahoga County:
▪ Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA)
▪ Erie County (Buffalo, NY)
▪ Franklin County (Columbus, OH)
▪ Hamilton County (Cincinnati, OH)
▪ Hennepin County (Minneapolis, MN)
▪ Jefferson County (Louisville, KY)
▪ Marion County (Indianapolis, IN)
▪ Milwaukee County (Milwaukee, WI)
▪ Monroe County (Rochester, NY)
▪ Wayne County (Detroit, MI)
