Demographics of Cleveland facts for kids
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The demographics of Cleveland is about how the population of Cleveland has changed over time. It looks at things like how many people live there, their ages, their backgrounds, and where they come from. Cleveland's population has seen many ups and downs throughout its history.
When Cleveland was founded in 1796, it was a small town. But it grew very quickly! By 1920, it was the fifth largest city in the United States, with almost 800,000 people. It kept growing until the 1950s, reaching over 914,000 people. However, starting in the 1960s, the population began to shrink. This happened because many factories closed down, and people started moving to the suburbs outside the city. By 2020, Cleveland's population was about 372,000. Good news though, since 2018, the population has started to stay steady, and some neighborhoods, like Downtown, have even seen more people moving in!
How Many People Live in Cleveland?
Cleveland's population has changed a lot over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people lived in the city at different times:
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1820 | 606 | — |
| 1830 | 1,075 | +77.4% |
| 1840 | 6,071 | +464.7% |
| 1850 | 17,034 | +180.6% |
| 1860 | 43,417 | +154.9% |
| 1870 | 92,829 | +113.8% |
| 1880 | 160,146 | +72.5% |
| 1890 | 261,353 | +63.2% |
| 1900 | 381,768 | +46.1% |
| 1910 | 560,663 | +46.9% |
| 1920 | 796,841 | +42.1% |
| 1930 | 900,429 | +13.0% |
| 1940 | 878,336 | −2.5% |
| 1950 | 914,808 | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 876,050 | −4.2% |
| 1970 | 750,903 | −14.3% |
| 1980 | 573,822 | −23.6% |
| 1990 | 505,616 | −11.9% |
| 2000 | 478,403 | −5.4% |
| 2010 | 396,815 | −17.1% |
| 2020 | 372,624 | −6.1% |
| * = Population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data. |
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In 2020, about 372,624 people lived in Cleveland. That's similar to the population of Zurich in Switzerland! The city is quite packed, with about 4,900 people living in every square mile. During the day, many people who work in Cleveland come from nearby towns, which makes the city's population grow by about 30%.
The average income for a household in Cleveland was about $30,907. This means that about 32.7% of the people in Cleveland live below the poverty line. When it comes to education, about 80.8% of adults over 25 have a high school diploma, and 17.5% have a college degree or higher.
In 2010, about 29.7% of homes in Cleveland had children under 18. The average household had about 2.29 people, and families had about 3.11 people. The average age in the city was 35.7 years old. About 24.6% of residents were under 18, and 12% were 65 or older. Slightly more than half of the population (52%) was female.
Different Backgrounds and Cultures
Cleveland is a city with many different kinds of people! This mix of cultures and backgrounds makes Cleveland a very diverse place. In fact, a study in 2020 found that Cleveland was the most diverse city in Ohio.
Main Groups in Cleveland
According to the 2020 Census, here's a look at the main groups living in Cleveland:
- About 47.5% of the people are African American (not Hispanic).
- About 32.1% are White (not Hispanic).
- About 13.1% are Hispanic or Latino (who can be of any race).
- About 2.8% are Asian and Pacific Islander.
- About 3.8% are from two or more races.
- About 0.2% are Native American.
Many people in Cleveland also speak languages other than English at home. These include Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Albanian, and different Slavic languages like Russian and Polish.
Where Different Groups Live
In Cleveland, you'll find that different groups often live in different parts of the city.
- Most White and Hispanic people live on the city's West Side, as well as Downtown and in University Circle.
- Most African American people live on the East Side.
- Most Asian people live in the historic Asiatown neighborhood.
This pattern of where people live has been around since the 1950s. However, it's not a strict rule. For example, there are many African Americans on the West Side, and University Circle on the East Side has many White, African American, and Asian residents. Downtown Cleveland also has a mix of White, African American, Asian, and Hispanic people.
Over the years, the number of African Americans in Cleveland grew a lot between 1910 and 1970. More recently, some African Americans have moved to suburbs near the East Side. At the same time, the number of Asian and Hispanic people in Cleveland has grown quite a bit.
People from Other Countries
Cleveland has a long history of welcoming people from all over the world. In the past, especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s, many immigrants came from countries like Ireland, Italy, Germany, and parts of Eastern Europe. They came looking for jobs in the city's many factories. In 1920, about 30% of Cleveland's population was born in another country!
Later, new laws in the 1920s made it harder for immigrants to come to the U.S., and many factories closed. So, the number of foreign-born people in Cleveland went down. But recently, in the late 2010s, Cleveland started seeing more immigrants again. By 2020, about 6% of Cleveland's population was born outside the U.S. Cleveland is also known for being a place where immigrants can become U.S. citizens faster than in many other cities.
Today, most foreign-born people in Cleveland and the surrounding county come from Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, Latin America, and South Asia. Some neighborhoods in Cleveland have a lot of foreign-born residents, like Asiatown/Goodrich–Kirtland Park, Clark–Fulton, and Downtown. Many suburbs around Cleveland also have large immigrant communities, especially those with many Russian-speaking immigrants from former Soviet countries.
European and Middle Eastern Communities
The White population in Cleveland, which makes up about 32.1% of the city, includes many different groups from Europe and the Middle East. You'll find large communities of Irish people (especially in Kamm's Corners), Italians (in Little Italy), Germans, and many groups from Central and Eastern Europe. These include Czechs, Hungarians, Poles, Russians, Slovaks, Ukrainians, and groups from former Yugoslavia like Slovenes and Croats.
Cleveland also has a large and historic Jewish community. Other groups include Albanians, Arabs (especially from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine), Armenians, Greeks, and Turks. At one point, Cleveland had more Hungarians than any city outside of Budapest!
African American Communities
African Americans make up about 47.5% of Cleveland's population. Their communities have a long and important history in the city. Many African Americans moved to Cleveland from the Southern U.S. during the "Great Migrations" between 1910 and 1970, looking for better opportunities. Most African American neighborhoods are on the East Side of Cleveland, but there are also many on the West Side, in areas like Bellaire–Puritas. Cleveland also has smaller groups of immigrants from Africa (like Ethiopians and Congolese) and the West Indies.
Hispanic and Latino Communities
Cleveland's Hispanic and Latino communities have grown a lot recently and now make up 13.1% of the population. Most Hispanic people in Cleveland are of Puerto Rican descent. There are also smaller numbers of immigrants from Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South and Central America. The Clark–Fulton neighborhood on the West Side has the largest Hispanic population in Cleveland. Other West Side neighborhoods like Brooklyn Centre and Detroit–Shoreway also have many Hispanic residents.
Asian and Pacific Islander Communities
Asian and Pacific Islander communities make up 2.8% of Cleveland's population and are also growing. Most of these communities are found in the historic Asiatown area. They include Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and other groups from Asia.
Romani People
The Roma started settling in Cleveland in the 1880s, especially on the near West Side. By 1920, there were at least 1,000 Roma living in the Ohio City neighborhood. Over time, many Roma moved to other cities or nearby suburbs, so their population in Cleveland became smaller.
Native Americans
In 1980, about 1,603 Native Americans lived in the greater Cleveland area. By 1990, that number had grown to 2,706.
