Oberlin () is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located about 31 miles (50 km) southwest of Cleveland within the Cleveland metropolitan area. The population was 8,555 at the 2020 census. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students. The town is the birthplace of the Anti-Saloon League and the Hall–Héroult process, the process of reducing aluminum from its fluoride salts by electrolysis, which made industrial production of aluminum possible.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Oberlin ranks

All →

#18Closest to a top hospital in OH #36Shortest commute in OH #46Fewest smokers in OH All OH rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code44074

Area code440

Living in Oberlin

Housing in Oberlin

$245K▲ 3% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Oberlin home is worth about $245,000, up 3% in a year, close to the Ohio typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market62

Sale-to-list96.9%

Sold in May6

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Oberlin

B⁻

Safety Grade B-

Oberlin reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 52% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Oberlin 1.6

Ohio 2.9

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Oberlin 15.1

Ohio 14.7

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Oberlin

Full picture →

About one in 4 of Oberlin’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Cleveland (12%), Elyria (6%) and Lorain (3%). Half commute less than 21 miles.

Cleveland

12%

Elyria

Lorain

Columbus

26%Work in townlive and work in Oberlin 21 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 3,910Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Oberlin →

Health in Oberlin

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 66% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Ohio

9better than OH·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 22 are too close to call.

Conditions 6▲ 6 close Habits 1▲ 3 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind all close Everyday needs 2▲ 2 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

10.3%Fewer smokersOH 15.4% · better 6.8%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offOH 8.3% · better 81.7%Fewer adults getting cholesterol checkedOH 86.1% · worse

Care nearby

Mercy Allen HospitalOberlin · 0.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

OberlinOberlin · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Oberlin · CMS · HRSAHealth in Oberlin →

Natural hazards in Oberlin

Very low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 4% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

6Does Oberlin flood?paid flood claims since 2004 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Oberlin MapOberlin vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Oberlin →

Climate in Oberlin

Full climate →

Oberlin has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 47 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

37° / 22°Winter

59° / 39°Spring

81° / 61°Summer

63° / 44°Fall

How much snow does Oberlin get?About 47 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 22, with the last in spring around Apr 27.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.9° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Oberlin →

Schools in Oberlin

All Oberlin schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Oberlin’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 51% of Ohio’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

See how Oberlin’s schools compare in OH →

DistrictOberlin City SchoolsSchools3

Oberlin Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–5 · 356 students Langston Middle School B-Middle · Grades 6–9 · 184 students Oberlin High School CHigh · Grades 9–12 · 218 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within OH. Ratings are from neighbors.