Avon Ranks No. 3 in 'Rating the Suburbs'

The city of Avon has made its mark in Cleveland. Last year, the city broke into the top 10, placing no. 9 on Cleveland Magazine’s Rating the Suburbs edition.
Previously, it ranked 14 in 2007 and 18 in 2011. This year, it ranked as the third best suburb in Cleveland. 

And no one could be happier than the city’s mayor, Jim Smith.

“We weren’t even on the radar when this started,” Smith said.

Now the city has been stamped as the third best suburb in 2013 (following Solon as No. 1 and Rocky River No. 2.) The magazine rated 77 of the city’s suburbs.
Smith credited the ranking, its highest ever, with what could be called a “group effort.”

“We have a good tax base,” he said, noting that 80 percent of the city’s tax base comes from people working within the city.

The booming suburb has enjoyed an explosive business base in the past decade, cruising through the recession.

“We’re able to produce services from that tax base,” Smith said. “We have a great school system. Every teacher, every police officer, and firefighter, every office and service worker—they’re the ones doing this.

“Everyone is pulling in the same direction. Sure the money helps us, but having all these feet on the ground help. “Look at that education rating. Ranked no. 10 for schools is tremendous. Our cost per student is $7,400, one of the lowest in the state for the best return.”

Smith who is leaving office at the end of 2013, jokingly said he had hoped to snag the No. 1 spot before retiring, but was glad to leave the city in good shape.

“We have a great community; I don’t mind retiring and walking away from (the people),” he said. “They are asset that money can’t buy. Avon pulled the no. 10 spot for education, no. 39 for safety, a 17.9 percent walkability ranking, $2,000 tax base (for every $100,000 home valuation) and an average home price of $253,900.

Avon Lake moved up four spots from last year to secure the No. 13 spot. The city the no. 15 spot for education, No. 16 for safety, a 54.3 percent walkability ranking, and an average home price of $222,000. The city ranked 16 in 2011.