Best Neighborhoods in Cleveland for Families

Thinking of moving to Cleveland? The Forest City has a lot to offer families, from its proximity to Lake Erie to its great schools and fun community events. Here are the five best neighborhoods in Cleveland for families!

Edgewater
Jefferson
Kamm’s Corner
Ohio City
Old Brooklyn

Edgewater

Photo via @progressiveurban_realestate

Home Price: $84,333 median purchase price; $686 median monthly rent
Crime Rate: Safer than 83% of Cleveland neighborhoods

Located alongside Lake Erie, Edgewater is one of the best Cleveland neighborhoods for families who want to live within walking distance of Edgewater Beach and Edgewater Park. Whether you’re spending time with your kids in the water, playing beach volleyball, or building sandcastles, you’ll never run out of fun things to do in this Cleveland neighborhood. Events like the Edgewater Sidewalk Fest bring the community together with live music, local food, face-painting, tabletop games, and other family activities. The community atmosphere is found throughout the area, too, where kids play in yards of modest Colonial homes on tree-lined streets. And with top-rated schools nearby like Louisa May Alcott Elementary School, Hope Academy Northwest, and Lake Erie International High School, children can get quality education close to home!

Things to Do in Edgewater

Search for shells, fly a kite, or go sailing at Perkins Beach. Bring your family together and solve clues to find your way out of a themed escape room at Perplexity Games. Peruse rare, collectible records at A Separate Reality Records. Shop for vintage items from the 1930s to 1980s at Flower Child. Feast on a Smoked Brisket Sandwich or a Deconstructed Burrito at Edgewater restaurants like Landmark Smokehouse. Try healthy menu items like the Black Bean Burger or Cuban Panini Sandwich at vegan restaurant and juice bar Earth Bistro Cafe. Have a slice of Arugula Pizza or Mad Mushroom Pizza at Project: Pizza. Or go for a late brunch or dessert at Remixx Ice Cream + Cereal Bar, where you can treat yourself to the Cardi-Bee Mixxshake, Gimme Gimme S’more cone, or create your own ice cream and cereal blend!

Jefferson

Photo via @jammrealestateco

Home Price: $71,164 median purchase price; $641 median monthly rent
Crime Rate: Safer than 72% of Cleveland neighborhoods

Nestled in Southwest Cleveland, the quaint neighborhood of Jefferson offers hands-on education at quality schools like Garfield Elementary School and John Marshall School of Engineering. Jefferson also gives families plenty of things to do with spots like Variety Theatre, which features hip restaurants, retailers, and movies. An iconic landmark of Jefferson, the 1927 Spanish Gothic vaudeville and movie house stands in its full glory, thanks to the ongoing Variety Theatre restoration project. With Jefferson residents being so passionate about preserving this historic theatre, it’s no surprise that there’s an abundance of unique homes in this Cleveland neighborhood, from Colonial-style houses to post-war bungalows.

Things to Do in Jefferson

Take your kids to Jefferson Park, where they can play on any of the eight tennis courts, climb on the playground, or have a picnic. Go swimming in the outdoor pool, rollerskating, or ice skating at Halloran Park. Visit Mohican Park for its playground, baseball field, and basketball court. Attend community events like Jefferson Rocks West Park, a series of free concerts with activities for kids, food, and a beer garden in Jefferson Park. Try German cuisine like Chicken Paprikash or a Potato Pancake Reuben at Der Braumeister. Go out for Mexican food at Tapatia’s Taqueria and enjoy the Cevinachos with Al Pastor Street Tacos. Have pizza night with Sweet Red Chili Wings and Zesty Chicken Pizza from Pizza Fan. Or sample Nepali and Indian dishes like Steamed Momos and Himalayan Chilli Chicken at Himalayan Restaurant.

Kamm’s Corner

Photo via @austincupachphoto

Home Price: $120,510 median purchase price; $677 median monthly rent
Crime Rate: Safer than 94% of Cleveland neighborhoods

Ranked as the safest neighborhood in Cleveland, you and your family can feel at ease in Kamm’s Corner. With gorgeous Craftsman-style and Tudor homes, a celebrated Irish heritage, and community gatherings like the Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market, this tight-knit community feels more like its own suburb in Cleveland. Even schools like Riverside School or Saint Joseph Academy are focused on connecting students with their community and the world around them! Great for families who love outdoor recreation and an active lifestyle, Kamm’s Corner also includes tons of family-friendly activities at Rocky River Reservation, a scenic park with a nature center, marina, stables, and three golf courses.

Things to Do in Kamm’s Corner

Stay active with amenities like a swimming pool, gym, sauna, and indoor track at Gunning Park Recreation Center. Join the neighborhood at The Hooley on Kamm’s Corners for live music, dance performances, games, art activities for the kids, and local vendors. Hunt down your favorite comics at Carol & John’s Comic Shop. Let your kids pick out fun costumes at Starship Earth, where you can find everything from tiaras to mascot heads. Pamper your pet at Style Mutt, a boutique, daycare, and grooming salon with a great selection of treats and toys, too! Fill up on American food at Treehouse Provisions with a Hot Chicken Sandwich or The King of Cleveland Sandwich. Leave the kids at home and go out for date night at Thai Elephant Restaurant, where you can try the Pad Thai or Green Curry. Or drink brews like the Clock Out P.B. Stout or Jalapeño Aviator IPA at Working Class Brewery.

Ohio City

Photo via @realtorspayton

Home Price: $124,250 median purchase price; $683 median monthly rent
Crime Rate: Safer than 92% of Cleveland neighborhoods

Ohio City is one of the safest, most affordable neighborhoods in Cleveland. As the second most walkable neighborhood in Cleveland, families have easy access to community landmarks like the West Side Market, where you can shop from unique vendors like Greg’s Produce, Urban Herbs, and P-Nut Gallery. Families in Ohio City also have their pick of highly-rated schools, including Saint Ignatius High School and Paul L. Dunbar Elementary School, which place an emphasis on teaching through the arts. After all, Ohio City is an artisan neighborhood where you can learn how to blow glass at the Glass Bubble Project or view art exhibits at Transformer Station. But if you ever want a change of pace from the quiet atmosphere in Ohio City, hop on the OH-2 W or Detroit Ave for a quick ten-minute trip to Downtown Cleveland.

Things to Do in Ohio City

Watch scuba divers swim with sharks or become a certified diver at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Volunteer at Ohio City Farm, Cleveland’s largest urban farm that donates fresh produce to community members in need. Dress to the nines and watch emerging jazz and blues acts at BOP STOP @ The Music Settlement. Rent a kayak or power boat from Great Lakes Watersports and launch right off into the Cuyahoga River for a fun day in the sun! Try the Spicy Miso Ramen or the Fried Chicken Bao at one of the best Ohio City restaurants, Xinji Noodle Bar. Chow down on a Brother’s Burrito and Talia’s Tacos at Ohio City Burrito. Enjoy the Matzo Ball Soup or Chocolate Babka at Larder Delicatessen + Bakery, a delicatessen that uses local, seasonal produce and dairy in their meals—and be sure to grab some groceries at their attached grocery store! Or sip on a Great Lakes IPA or a Gin Barrel Aged Juniper Sour at Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Old Brooklyn

Photo via @summer.mayrealestate

Home Price: $75,007 median purchase price; $763 median monthly rent
Crime Rate: Safer than 78% of Cleveland neighborhoods

Home to a large community garden and its own farmers market, Old Brooklyn is a community focused on green living! And not for nothing—together, Cleveland Metroparks Brookside Reservation and Brighton Park create 157 acres of lush greenery for outdoor recreation. In addition to award-winning parks in the neighborhood, Old Brooklyn offers residents top-tier education from Old Brooklyn schools like Constellation Schools: Old Brooklyn Community Middle and Rhodes School of Environmental Studies. You can find more of the “Old Brooklyn” community feel throughout the neighborhood’s active restaurants, shops, and family-friendly places like the zoo!

Things to Do in Old Brooklyn

Spend the day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo observing tigers, lions, zebras, and more. Find unique cheeses and mustards at Old Brooklyn Cheese Co. Get your bicycle fixed or shop for a new indoor tropical plant at Sixth City Cycles. Grab a Cosmic Powers Matcha Latte or a Rocket Fuel at COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. Discover incredible Caribbean dishes like Jerk Chicken and Curry Chicken at Irie Jamaican Kitchen. Taste Guatemalan cuisine at El Rinconcito Chapin, and order the Carne Asada or Chiles Rellenos. Treat your family to ice cream flavors like Orange Blossom and Chocolate Chocolate Chip at Honey Hut Ice Cream. Or unwind with a Charcuterie Board and a glass of wine at Opal on Pearl.

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