| Official Name: | Avon Lake, Ohio |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Ohio#USA#North America |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ohio |
| Pushpin Label: | Avon Lake |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 41.5017°N -82.0064°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ohio |
| Subdivision Name2: | Lorain |
| Established Title: | Avon on the lake |
| Established Date: | 1819 |
| Established Title2: | Avon Lake Township |
| Established Date2: | 1912 |
| Established Title3: | Avon Lake City |
| Established Date3: | 1960 |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Mark A. Spaetzel[1] |
| Leader Title1: | Council President |
| Leader Name1: | Marty O'Donnell[2] |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [3] |
| Area Total Km2: | 28.83 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 11.13 |
| Area Land Km2: | 28.83 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 11.13 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Area Water Percent: | 0 |
| Elevation Ft: | 623 |
| Population Total: | 25206 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | 874.44 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 2264.69 |
| Population Est: | 25942 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Pop Est Footnotes: | [4] |
| Postal Code Type: | Zip code |
| Postal Code: | 44012 |
| Area Code: | 440 |
| Website: | https://www.avonlake.org/ |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 39-03464[5] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1086501 |
Avon Lake is a city in northeastern Lorain County, Ohio, United States, located on the southern shore of Lake Erie about west of Cleveland. The population was 25,206 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area.
Avon Lake was first settled in the 17th century and was, along with Avon, Bay Village, and Westlake, inhabited by the Erie. After the war with the Iroquois in 1656 ended the people were largely dispersed or integrated into Iroquois society. The area was then sparsely populated until the Lenape and Wyandot migrated into the area in 1700.[6] The first European settlement in the area was founded in 1786 by Moravian missionaries. The Northwest Indian War resulted in the Indians in the area giving up all land East of Cuyahoga River in the Treaty of Greenville. Undoubtedly this was the start of European contact with the peoples in Avon Lake, who now found themselves in the Connecticut Western Reserve. Any remaining Indian claims to their land were removed after the 1818 Treaty of St. Mary’s.
Noah Davis, the first lakeshore dweller, arrived in Avon Lake in 1812 and lived in a three-sided cabin near the present-day intersection of Lake and Moore Roads for about a year. Wilbur Cahoon, the owner of the land, encountered Davis and moved farther south (on Davis' advice) in the French Creek precinct where it was not as marshy but more fitting for farming, in 1814. In 1818, Cuyahoga County drew new boundaries, splitting the former entity into two. The west part was Troy Township and the east part was Dover Township. Adam Miller and his family arrived in the following year, and the family has been here ever since. The Millers and others who followed mostly cleared land, sawed timber, and built ships in nearby Black River (eventually renamed Lorain), however Avon Lake's shorelines also had a number of sawmills and shipyards. In 1822, Lorain County was formed. Troy Township was renamed "Avon Township" by petition in 1824.
In 1915, Avon Lake separated from the rest of the Township of Avon to form the Township of Avon Lake. In 1960, Avon Lake was granted the status of a city. Avon Lake became a qualified Tree City USA as recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation in 1993.[7]
According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of, all land.[8]
Avon Lake is located on Lake Erie.
As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 22,581 people, 8,900 households, and 6,321 families residing in the city. The population density was 2028.8PD/sqmi. There were 9,411 housing units at an average density of 845.6/sqmi.
There were 8,900 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.
The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 30.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
Of the city's population over the age of 25, 49.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher.[10]
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,145 people, 6,711 households, and 5,133 families residing in the city. The population density was 1630sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 6,934 housing units at an average density of 622.9sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 97.31% White, 0.45% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.25% of the population.
There were 6,711 households, out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.8% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $65,988, and the median income for a family was $76,603 (these figures had risen to $78,703 and $98,309 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[11]). Males had a median income of $57,294 versus $32,458 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,336. About 3.0% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Avon Lake is host to a number of industrial companies, including facilities for Lubrizol, Ford Motor Company, PolyOne Corporation, Western Enterprises, and Reliant Energy.
Approximately
220 acres (0.9 km2) is designated for parks and playgrounds. Avon Lake operates six community parks: Bleser Park, Miller Road Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Weiss Field, Walker Road Park, and Bicentennial Park. Other neighborhood parks managed by the city include Belle Road Park, Inwood Park, Overlook Park, Resatar Park, and Sunset Park, each with adjoining bike trails to promote easy residential access and outdoor recreation.[12] The city also operates the Ellen Trivanovich Aquatic Center, which was rebuilt in 2010. The new facility includes a splash ground, lazy river, regulation lanes, three water slides, and zero-depth entry. The facility is open to residents and guests of residents. The city enforces a curfew, for ages 12 and under: 10:00pm, for ages 13 to 15: 11:00pm, and for ages 16 to 17: 1:00am.[13]All public schools in the city are a part of Avon Lake City Schools.
There are four public elementary schools:
and three upper-level schools:
The district was awarded the status of Excellent with Distinction by the Ohio Department of Education for 8 years in a row. In 2015, Avon Lake High School was listed 170th in the country in Newsweek's Top 500 U.S. High Schools with a graduation rate of 100% and a 95.9% college-bound rate.[14]
There is also a Catholic parochial school, St. Joseph's, that offers grades Kindergarten through 8.
Avon Lake is home to Avon Lake Public Library. The library was first established in January 1931 by a Board of Trustees as appointed by the Avon Lake Village Council and mayor. The opening budget was $1,000 and the first book purchased for the collection was Penrod by Booth Tarkington.[15] Today, the Avon Lake Public Library circulates over 620,000 items with a general fund of $2.9 million.[16]