Cleveland Magazine ranked 77 suburbs on education, safety, housing, and entertainment.
Chagrin Falls, Rocky River, and Pepper Pike consistently rank as the top 3 best suburbs.
Suburbs like Hinckley Township and Kirtland have seen rapid climbs in the rankings in recent years.
Source: Oliver Peric / Getty
What Makes A Cleveland Suburb One Of The Best?
Choosing the right Cleveland suburb can depend on everything from schools and safety to housing costs and things to do. Cleveland Magazine compared 77 Northeast Ohio communities for its 2026 rankings. The publication weighed factors including education, safety, housing, taxes, walkability, diversity and entertainment.
The results feature communities from across Greater Cleveland, including several familiar names that consistently rank among the region’s most desirable places to live.
Chagrin Falls holds the No. 1 spot for the second straight year. The village earned especially strong marks for education, taking the top spot among school systems in the rankings. It also tied for No. 2 in walkability and No. 1 for entertainment, while its safety ranking jumped 14 spots.
Rocky River
Rocky River has become one of the most consistent performers on the list. The West Side suburb has finished either first or second in seven of the past 10 years. Strong schools, a top-20 safety ranking and plenty of nearby entertainment continue to help Rocky River stand out.
Pepper Pike
Pepper Pike remains a regular near the top despite losing ground in one important category. Its safety ranking fell to No. 32 this year, but the community benefits from being part of the sixth-ranked school system. Pepper Pike has now landed among the top five overall for six consecutive years.
Hinckley Township
Few communities have climbed the rankings faster than Hinckley Township. It ranked just No. 56 in 2024 before jumping to No. 11 last year and No. 4 in 2026. Improved safety has played a major role, with Hinckley now ranking as the third-safest community evaluated.
Bay Village
Bay Village combines strong schools with safety and environmental performance. The West Side community tied for the top spot in the environmental category and ranked among the 15 safest suburbs. Its school district also posted a 99.1% four-year graduation rate.
Richfield
Location is one of Richfield’s biggest advantages. Residents have convenient access to Interstate 77, providing a relatively direct route toward Cleveland or Akron. Cleveland Magazine also points to the community’s school system and selection of restaurants as strengths.
Brecksville
Brecksville offers a mix of outdoor recreation, accessibility and amenities. The community scored well for walkability and safety while also providing convenient access to major highways. Its entertainment options add another dimension for residents who want things to do close to home.
Beachwood
Education remains a major selling point for Beachwood. Its school system earned an A in Cleveland Magazine’s evaluation and recorded a 96.9% four-year graduation rate. The East Side suburb also performed well when evaluated for its environmental record.
Solon
Solon may have lost its position as the area’s No. 1 school system, but it didn’t fall far. Its schools rank second in 2026. Solon also made progress in safety, climbing 17 positions in that category compared with last year’s rankings.
Bath
Bath cracked the overall top 10 last year and remains there in 2026. Schools and environmental performance helped its showing, but housing provides another interesting piece of the story. The community’s median home sale price has increased by more than 110% over the past decade.
Moreland Hills
Moreland Hills scores well in several categories that can matter to prospective residents. It tied for No. 1 in the environmental rankings while also benefiting from a highly rated school system. Cleveland Magazine additionally highlighted the community’s police services as a strength.
Kirtland
Kirtland’s rise has been years in the making. The Lake County community ranked No. 44 in 2023 but has climbed all the way to No. 12 for 2026. Its schools received an A, its four-year graduation rate reached 98.2%, and safety also helped push Kirtland higher.
Highland Heights
Consistency helped Highland Heights maintain its place in the rankings. The community held the same overall position as last year, while its school system also remained steady. Safety provided the biggest improvement, with Highland Heights moving into the top 15 in that category.
Hudson
Hudson comes with a higher housing price tag than many Northeast Ohio communities. Its 2025 median home sale price reached $560,000, seventh-highest in the rankings. In return, families have access to one of the area’s highest-rated school systems, which finished No. 5.
Aurora
Lower property taxes helped Aurora distinguish itself from some of the other communities near the top. Cleveland Magazine lists its property tax rate at $1,630 per $100,000 of valuation. Strong performances in education and safety also helped the Portage County community land in the overall top 15.
Broadview Heights
No community in the 2026 rankings performed better in safety than Broadview Heights. The southern Cuyahoga County suburb climbed 16 spots to take No. 1 in that category. Its education ranking also improved by three positions.
Orange Village
Green space is one of the features helping Orange Village stand out. The small East Side community tied for first in Cleveland Magazine’s environmental rankings. It also showed improvement in safety compared with the previous year.
Fairview Park
Fairview Park reached the overall top 20 for the first time in 2026. Its education score improved to a B, while safety climbed to No. 11. Walkability and access to entertainment give this West Side community additional appeal beyond the numbers.
Mayfield Village
Mayfield Village continues to show consistency in education, with its school system ranking No. 17 for a second consecutive year. Safety moved in the right direction as well, improving from No. 47 to No. 26. A solid local dining scene gives residents another perk.
Westlake
Westlake has worked its way back into the top 20 after falling outside of it last year. Improved safety helped fuel the rebound. The suburb also has one entertainment advantage that’s difficult to overlook: Crocker Park provides a major concentration of shopping, restaurants and activities.
Medina
Medina lands just outside the overall top 20. Its school system received a B in Cleveland Magazine’s evaluation, while the community also scored points for its selection of places to eat and drink. Its historic town square adds a distinctive feel compared with many Greater Cleveland suburbs.
Macedonia
Macedonia gives residents a suburban location with access to both the Cleveland and Akron areas. Cleveland Magazine highlighted its combination of dining options, schools and safety. Those strengths were enough to put the Summit County community among the region’s top 25.
Chester Township
Chester Township slipped out of the top 15 this year after losing ground in safety. Education, however, remains a significant strength. Its school system ranked No. 10 among the communities evaluated, helping Chester remain comfortably inside the overall top 25.
Lakewood
Lakewood offers something very different from many communities on this list. With 50,229 residents, it’s the most populated suburb among Cleveland Magazine’s top 35. It tied for No. 1 in walkability and No. 3 in entertainment, while 418 homes changed hands during 2025.
Middleburg Heights
Middleburg Heights rounds out the top 25 with particularly strong marks for convenience and amenities. It tied for No. 1 in walkability and No. 3 for entertainment. The community also ranked among the top 20 for safety for the second consecutive year.
