Is University Heights, OH a Good Place to Live?
University Heights is a small city of 13,649 in Ohio, with a median household income of $91,960 and a 5.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: University Heights stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether University Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All University Heights city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.0University Heights's overall cost of living index is 96.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in University Heights costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | University Heights, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $209,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,274 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $91,960 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeUniversity Heights's violent crime rate is 129.8 per 100,000 residents — 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
University Heights is served primarily by Cleveland Heights-University Heights City. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | University Heights, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Cleveland Heights-University Heights City | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
University Heights sees average highs of 35.3°F in January and 80.7°F in July, with 33.3 inches of annual precipitation and 63.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | University Heights, OH |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 35.3°F |
| Average High — July | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 63.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | University Heights, OH | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,649 | — |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 19.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 72.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 23.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 12.2% | 16.8% |