The Town FilesPainesville, Ohio
City in Lake County · population 20,312 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $158,800
- Household income
- $51,516
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 114 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.5
Painesville is a city of 20,312 people in Lake County, Ohio. The median home is worth $158,800, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better transit than 93% of Ohio towns, more walkable than 92% of Ohio towns, hipper than 92% of Ohio towns.
How Painesville ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Painesville is worth $158,800, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $51,516, which is more affordable than 26% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $1,036 a month. 51.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Painesville | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,800 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $1,036 | $914 |
| Median household income | $51,516 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 51.1% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Painesville
| People | Painesville | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 90.9% |
Weather in Painesville
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 23.7°F. About 40.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 113.7 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 100 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Painesville since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 4, 1969 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 24, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| June 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346: Severe Storms |
| April 24, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3286: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| August 1, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1656: Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 98,558 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,040 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Painesville itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Painesville
13 public schools with 6,543 students, about 19.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Jr/Sr High School | 8-12 | 1,682 | 22.1 |
| Harvey High School | 9-12 | 829 | 19.3 |
| Riverview Elementary School | K-5 | 601 | 21.5 |
| Heritage Middle School | 6-8 | 599 | 15.4 |
| Henry F Lamuth Middle School | 6-7 | 530 | 18.3 |
| Maple Elementary School | PK-5 | 431 | 18.0 |
| Chestnut Elementary School | K-5 | 415 | 16.6 |
| Elm Street Elementary School | K-5 | 414 | 15.9 |
| Buckeye Elementary School | K-5 | 384 | 20.2 |
| Melridge Elementary School | K-5 | 292 | 20.9 |
| iSTEM | 6-12 | 224 | 28.0 |
| Riverside Preschool | PK-PK | 142 | 35.5 |
Towns near Painesville
- Fairport Harbor, OH1.9 mi · 3,108 people · home $147,500
- Mentor, OH4.6 mi · 47,450 people · home $247,700
- Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH5.4 mi · 7,131 people · home $188,500
- Kirtland, OH9.6 mi · 6,937 people · home $391,300
- Willoughby, OH9.6 mi · 23,959 people · home $216,900
- Eastlake, OH9.9 mi · 17,670 people · home $172,100
- Chardon, OH10.2 mi · 5,242 people · home $303,000
- Madison, OH11.1 mi · 3,435 people · home $207,100
Painesville questions
Is Painesville, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Painesville scores better for retirees than 4% of Ohio towns and quieter than 0%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Painesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Painesville is valued at $158,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,516, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,036 a month.
What is the weather like in Painesville?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 23.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.5 inches of precipitation a year and 113.7 inches of snow.
Does Painesville get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Painesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 4, 1969. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)