Akron

With homes comprising about 5% of Downtown Akron, the neighborhood is defined more by outdoor amenities and commercial buildings than its homes. Even though most of the city’s entertainment is housed within the community, single-family homes with driveways and over 1,000 square feet are the main housing option — not condos or townhouses. “The housing market is pretty robust. It seems like the whole world found out it’s very affordable here,” says Barbara Snyder of Snyder & Snyder Real Estate, a Realtor with 40 years of experience in the Akron market. “Akron grew from the center outward, and we had a rubber boom between 1910 and 1920, so it’s older housing stock downtown.” Most properties center around off-campus housing for the University of Akron, but some folks live in Downtown Akron full-time and embrace its convenience. Surrounded by main thoroughfares and interstates, locals can efficiently venture north to Cleveland or southwest to Columbus. <br><br>Mature trees shade front lawns and residential streets. Sidewalks link homes to Exchange Street and Main Street, but the community maintains a quiet atmosphere. Colonial-style homes from the 1900s are most prominent, and most properties have a multi-car driveway. Because the University of Akron is the heart of the neighborhood, nearly 90% of homes are rented; however, there are a few homes for first-time buyers and those looking to stick close to the city’s entertainment hubs. “For a decent starter home, $150,000 is probably a good starting price, but investors are buying cheaper,” Snyder says. Most properties that cost closer to $200,000 have five or more bedrooms and operate as off-campus student housing. <br><br>Students can attend Akron Public Schools, starting with Leggett Community Learning Center, which receives a C grade from Niche. From here, students can transition to Jennings Community Learning Center, a C-minus-graded school, and graduate from North High School, which gets a C-plus grade. At North High, graduation rates hover around 79%, and over 60% of teachers hold at least a master’s degree. The University of Akron is also downtown, allowing students to walk to top programs, including those at the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. <br><br>With the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail running down the neighborhood’s center, locals can explore up to 90 miles from Cleveland to New Philadelphia. “You see a few more bicycles when it gets nice out,” Snyder says. “We have the Towpath Trail, and a lot of people flock to that area to go cycling.” Lock 3 is also a popular green space in Downtown Akron that hosts a summer concert series. For indoor activities, Downtown Akron has several art and event spaces. “We have a nice, old atmospheric theater. It’s one of the only ones left in the whole country, and it looks like you’re outside when you’re inside,” Snyder says. The Akron Civic Theater holds musical performances and concerts throughout the year, but it’s not the only event space in the neighborhood. Akron Art Museum and Summit Artspace also draw crowds for exhibits and the Akron ArtWalk. <br><br>While there are vacant office buildings throughout Downtown Akron, there are shops and restaurants along Main Street and Exchange Street, and the amenities available will likely expand with time. “There’s a lot of development going to try to make downtown a lively place,” Snyder says. Locally owned stores like The District Boutique and Full Grip Games make up most of the retail downtown, though an Aldi is only blocks away from the university campus for grocery needs. When looking to dine out, Spaghetti Warehouse serves Italian food near the Towpath Trail, and Crave offers American cuisine in a cozy setting steps from Lock 3. Nightlife is limited, but Interbelt Nite Club is an old theater turned dancing hot spot in the neighborhood, and Jilly’s Music Room is a live music spot hosting anything from local tribute bands to jazz music. <br><br>While Akron doesn’t have any major league sports, it does have the RubberDucks — and Downtown Akron is home to Canal Park. The stadium is known for having not a bad seat in the house, as the facility only seats about 7,600 fans. <br><br>While buses serve Downtown Akron, many homeowners choose to drive because of the city's parking-friendly nature. Even during peak travel times, rush hour traffic doesn’t cause too much delay for residents. Ramps to Interstate 76 and Interstate 77 are along the neighborhood’s southeastern edge, and Martin Luther King Boulevard borders Downtown Akron to the west. Locals can reach Cleveland in 40 miles, expanding job opportunities to two cities, and the Akron-Canton Airport is about 15 miles southeast. <br><br>According to the CAP Index, Downtown Akron receives a crime score of 8, which is higher than the national average of 4. To combat crime, the police department wants to connect to the community with programs and events, like Christmas with a Cop and National Night Out.

East Akron is a neighborhood rife with real estate opportunities thanks to local development organizations offering housing developments, renovations and home-building incentives. Four miles southeast of downtown, many locals live within walking distance of the city's main event spaces and resources. Still, the neighborhood also provides resources, such as libraries and the Joy Park Community Center. The neighborhood is split into two parts by Kelly Avenue, with most housing, shops, restaurants and community resources on the west side. The neighborhood's industrial features are on the east side, including the headquarters for the Goodyear tire company—a significant employer in the city—and its testing grounds, train tracks, distribution centers and the Akron Fulton Airport. While the neighborhood has a higher-than-average crime score, Akron's city government offers grants and programs intended to curtail violence by funding community resource non-profits.<br><br>Houses no bigger than 2,000 square feet and 3 bedrooms fill the streets west of Kelly Avenue alongside 4-bedroom duplexes. These properties mostly mix Cape Cods, bungalows and two-story Colonial Revivals. Home prices start at $20,000 for fixer-uppers and climb as high as $144,000. Local organizations such as the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation are some of the neighborhood's major property owners, developing and renovating local affordable housing that it rents out or sells to locals. The Summit County Land Bank offers another route for individual citizens. "They have this thing called the Welcome Home Program," says Katie Middendorf, an associate broker with Century 21 Carolyn Riley Realty who has sold properties throughout northeast Ohio. "The group buys up properties with unsalvageable housing and clears it to make an empty lot. Someone looking to build a home in East Akron can apply for the group to grant them a lot for no charge, granted that they build a house they plan to live in." The organization also grants land to current residents living next to said lots, allowing them to expand their property.<br><br>Cars are the dominant mode of transportation for most of Akron, but many people in East Akron rely on the Akron METRO bus system's routes 25, 13, 2 and 15 to get around instead. These routes run through the main thoroughfares: Lovers Lane, South Arlington Street, Kelly Avenue and Triplett Boulevard. Interstate 77 and Interstate 76 are also within reach. Both highways flank the west and north sides, respectively. Another nearby spot for transportation is the Akron Fulton Airport. The airstrip sees most of its traffic from flight schools and private air travel.<br><br>South Arlington Street is the community's main roadway for shopping and dining. The Save A Lot in Arlington Plaza and the Aldi across the street are the primary sources of groceries in this part of town, providing affordable goods. El Rincon is the area's most popular local restaurant, with themed designs burned into furniture, bright green walls, and paper ceiling decorations. The nearest fresh produce is on the other side of town, a 9-mile drive via Interstate 76 to Graf's Garden Shop and Farm Market in West Akron. The nearest mall, Summit Mall, is a little further away, an 11-mile drive to Fairlawn.<br><br>East Akron has 5 parks: three pocket parks in the center with playgrounds and benches, Hillwood Park in the south and Riverside Park in the east. Riverside Park allows locals to escape the roads and noise along a minor branch of the Cuyahoga River. They can stroll along concrete walkways, feed ducks and watch the water flow through the tree shade.<br><br>The neighborhood has early public education facilities, but the nearest public middle and high schools are in neighboring communities. David Community Learning Center is one of two public elementary schools within the neighborhood, educating students from kindergarten to sixth grade. Students typically move on to John R. Buchtel Community Learning Center. Covering middle and high school classes, the West Akron facility is one of only two schools in the district offering AP African American studies courses. Niche gives both schools a C-minus.<br><br>While bars may have trivia nights and local libraries host read-alongs, some of East Akron's events are community-wide celebrations. In the summer, East Akronites gather to cheer on runners along Innovation Way as part of the annual Goodyear Half Marathon. The Joy Park Community Center also hosts its fair share of festivities, such as the Summer Concert Series, a three-week free outdoor concert series with local bands. Less than a mile north in the Middlebury neighborhood, the Goodyear Theater also hosts live performances all year round. Past performers include comedian Brad Williams and country music singer Ashley McBryde.<br><br>Anyone looking to move into East Akron should know the neighborhood's higher-than-average crime score. According to the CAP index, East Akron has a crime score of six, two points higher than the average national score of four. This total score is driven chiefly by violent crime. The City of Akron provides resources such as the Youth Violence Prevention Community Grant Program. This program aims to prevent young people from engaging in violence by funding community outreach programs such as The Akron Dream Center and The Vincent House to help at-risk youth.

Positioned in the center of Akron and within walking distance of downtown, Elizabeth Park Valley has layers of texture that might appeal to a broad spectrum of populations. There is access to nature, hiking trails, community gardens, museums and engaging neighbors. This residential neighborhood with speckles of commercial activity along its main roads provides residents with easy highway access that makes an uncomplicated job of getting around town, except during those high-traffic times of the day when travel becomes sluggish. “It has close proximity to downtown. It’s easy to access just about anywhere you need to be,” says Nick Rock, a Realtor with Keller Williams Leagcy Realty Group, who sells homes in the neighborhood and elsewhere around Akron.<br><br>About a decade into a revitalization effort in this part of the city, Elizabeth Park Valley sits at the head of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail, which follows the old lock and dam system here. It’s a glance back at the area’s past while pushing ahead into the future.<br><br>Homes in Elizabeth Park Valley have seen the years come and go. The average house here was built in the early decades of the last century and sits by side with neighboring homes along well-traveled blocks with copious trees. There is a fair share of Arts and Crafts homes and bungalows, Cape Cods and street after street of siding. While the median price for a single-family home here is around $65,000, it is not uncommon to see houses sell for far in excess of that, from as much as $90,000 to $100,000. <br><br>Centrally located, Elizabeth Park Valley has easy access to Akron’s major roadways, including state routes 8 and 18 which lead to Interstates 76 and 77, putting all of the important destinations within 15 to 30 minutes by car. And for non-drivers, there’s no need to fret. Metro RTA operates bus service throughout the area.<br><br>When it comes to places to spend time shopping and eating, Elizabeth Park Valley offers residents a variety of interesting places to do both. Northside Marketplace is home to an eclectic mix of specialty shops, crafts stores and a food court. The dining mainstay in the neighborhood is Luigi’s Restaurant. Serving Italian staples like baked lasagna and crusty Italian bread, Luigi’s is a neighborhood institution that’s been serving patrons since 1949. Otherwise, neighboring Highland Square attracts visitors with its many dining and shopping options. “I would say Highland Square is the most popular place for people to venture that’s going to have a whole host of commercial spots and restaurants,” Rock says.<br><br>It would somehow seem unfair if a neighborhood with “park” in its name didn’t have a park of its own. As it turns out, Elizabeth Park Valley has several. By far, Cascade Valley Park would be considered its most popular, featuring a scenic overlook, trails for hiking, fishing, picnic areas and sports areas. Don’t miss Grace Park, noted for its wide open spaces and walking trail.<br><br>Elizabeth Park Valley students are served by the Akron City School District, which Niche rates C-plus. Students may attend Niche C-rated Findley Community Learning Center from kindergarten through fifth grade, then Akros Middle School, a charter school which Niche rates C-minus and North High School, which Niche rates C-plus. North is the first Akron public school to fully implement College and Career Academies.<br><br>This is one neighborhood that embraces activities and events, especially in spring and summer. There’s Little Cuyahoga Summer Camp, which is a five-day outdoor camp that invites exploring the neighborhood. There are scavenger hunts, story times and hikes through Cuyahoga Valley National Park and along the Cuyahoga River. The community celebrates Akron Parks Week in the spring with an outdoor celebration at Elizabeth Park. And with events like its neighborhood informational, community residents are bound to stay informed.

Fairlawn Heights is home to around 2,300 people in Akron’s northwestern reaches, immediately southeast of the much smaller city of Fairlawn. Homebuyers are drawn to its private, spread-out lifestyle, where relatively large, classically designed houses sit on spacious, tree-shrouded properties. Educational opportunities for younger residents and proximity to big-name restaurants and retailers add to the neighborhood’s cross-generational appeal. “There’s a wide range of people who move there,” says Realtor Lenny Herbert of RE/MAX Edge Realty, who frequently sells in the neighborhood. “They could be anywhere from people with children to empty nesters and elderly people. It’s a very good community.” Fairlawn Heights features architecturally diverse homes on forested lots, typically around ½ acre. Most are single-family constructions, some built as early as the 1920s, others as recently as the 1980s. Period revival designs bring Colonial-style, Tudor-style and Georgian-style architecture to the neighborhood. Ranch-style homes, Cape Cods, split-levels and bi-levels also appear around the community. Diligent homebuyers will find a few contemporary, Bauhaus-inspired builds from the 1960s. Multi-family developments are also available in Fairlawn Heights, including Camelot Condominiums, a development for residents aged 55 and older. These usually cost between $100,000 and $200,000 for two-bedroom units. Two-bedroom Colonial-style townhouses in the neighborhood tend to cost within that same price range. For the median single-family price of about $330,000, homebuyers might get a three-bedroom house around 2,500 square feet. Prices peak at just under $1 million for six-bedroom period revival homes on multi-acre lots. Most Fairlawn Heights students are zoned for three Akron Public Schools participating in the International Baccalaureate program. Judith A. Resnik Community Learning Center accommodates kindergarten through fifth grade across the street to the north. One mile east, sixth through eighth graders attend Paul W. Litchfield Community Learning Center. They stay on the same campus to attend ninth through 12th grade at Harvey S. Firestone Community Learning Center. Creative students flourish at Firestone, which hosts a renowned theater program and has educated several prominent performers. Alumni include Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde and both members of The Black Keys. Niche gives Firestone and Resnik B-minus grades; Litchfield has a C-minus. A few households to the west are zoned for Copley-Fairlawn City School District, which Niche gives an A overall. “People will move to [the area] to send their kids to those public schools,” Herbert says. Two membership-based recreational clubs have operated in and near Fairlawn Heights for decades. Fairlawn Country Club sits across Market Street and has welcomed members since 1917. It features a nearly century-old 18-hole golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Swimming and tennis are also available in the neighborhood’s southwest section at Fairlawn Swim & Tennis Club, established in 1955. Public recreation spots nearby include Croghan Park off Miller Road to the northwest. It fills about 8 acres with tennis, handball and basketball courts, a playground, open fields and walking paths. Several independent and chain restaurants offer various cuisines nearby, from Japanese to barbecue. Ken Stewart’s Grille is perhaps the neighborhood’s best-known eatery. It’s provided a classy steak-and-seafood dining experience for over 30 years and boasts a selection of over 200 wines. Locals can cover their daily errands at prominent retailers along Market Street, including Target, Whole Foods Market and Gabe’s. Sidewalks are scarce in Fairlawn Heights; most locals navigate the neighborhood by car or bike. Interstate 77 runs alongside the neighborhood to the south, offering direct commutes to downtown Akron and Cleveland. “Going to downtown Akron, it would take you roughly around 10 minutes. Cleveland would be around 45 minutes,” Herbert says. The METRO Regional Transit Authority provides bus rides along Market Street roughly every 15 minutes.

Developed by rubber pioneer Harvey Firestone in 1915 to house factory workers, Firestone Park is a historic landmark community that’s now home to more than 14,000 residents. At the center of Akron’s southernmost neighborhood is its namesake park in the shape of Firestone’s original logo, with many homes surrounding it. Firestone Park United Methodist Church and Firestone Park Presbyterian Church sit in two corners of the park’s Firestone logo shape. They’re just two of the dozens of houses of worship in the community. “It’s definitely one of the city’s more suburban neighborhoods,” says Carly Sablotny, Realtor with Keller Williams Living, who sells in Firestone Park. “So, if you want a home in the city but with a more suburban feel, Firestone Park is a good option.”<br><br>Firestone Park offers plenty of outdoor activities, where locals can go to play tennis, have fun on the playground, stroll along the tree-lined walkway and cool off by running through sprinklers on the splash pad. It’s also home to a community center, which frequently hosts art programs for kids. Firestone Stadium is just down the road. Once home to the Akron Racers professional softball team, the stadium now serves as the host for high school softball tournaments. Nature enthusiasts can head to Firestone Metro Park to walk through wooded trails with scenic bridges over lakes where residents can fish. During winter, the park is a popular destination for cross-country skiing and sledding. <br><br>The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival has been an annual tradition in Akron since 1974. The festival honors the founding artistic director of Ohio Ballet by hosting dance performances in parks all over Akron, including Firestone Park. A summer concert series is held at the park, drawing large crowds to enjoy live music from June through August. The first Sunday of August at Firestone Park is designated for a performance by the Akron Symphony. Come December, locals gather for a holiday tree lighting. Throughout the month, Firestone Park Presbyterian Church puts a “Blessings Box” in the park’s community center where people can donate gloves and other essentials for children during Akron’s annual Hugs and Gloves event.<br><br>Residents do much of their shopping and dining on Waterloo Road on the south side of Firestone Park. Shopping centers feature big box retailers and grocery stores like Giant Eagle Supermarket, Big Lots and several more. It’s also full of popular restaurants and late-night hangout spots. Mi Casa is the go-to restaurant for margaritas and Mexican Food, while House of Hunan serves up a variety of Asian-style dishes. Hyde Out serves Japanese food until 2:30 a.m. daily, making it a popular spot for post-midnight sushi runs. And Basement Sports Bar & Grill stays up just as late, where locals can grab some wings, drinks and cheer on Cleveland sports teams. Aster Avenue runs through the less bustling and more residential area of Firestone Park, where a few local businesses are set up. They include A Walk In The Park Café - a quirky spot for coffee and local art, and Boardwalk Sales – a thrift store full of treasures. <br><br>Firestone Park features primarily single-family homes built between the 1920s and 1940s on lots of about a tenth of an acre. Houses are relatively close, spaced apart by the width of each home’s driveway. They come in various shapes and sizes, including smaller Cape Cods and Bungalows, along with larger Colonial Revivals, American Foursquares and charming English Tudors. Prices for all of these homes generally range from $80,000 to $220,000. “It really depends on the condition of the home and how recently it’s been renovated,” Sablotny says about home pricing. <br><br>Students are served by Akron Public Schools, starting at Firestone Park Elementary, graded a C-minus by Niche. Middle schoolers go to C-minus-graded Innes Community Learning Center before finishing their degrees at C-graded Garfield Community Learning Center, also referred to as Kenmore-Garfield High School, a state-of-the-art high school built in 2022 to merge students from Kenmore and Garfield High Schools.<br><br>Interstate 77 runs directly through Firestone Park, which residents can take to get to Downtown Akron about 3 miles north, Cleveland 40 miles north or Canton 20 miles south. There are several ways to drive downtown without taking the interstate. Commuters also have access to public transportation with Akron Metro Bus stops all over the neighborhood.