Located on Lake Erie, the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor (Ohio) Metro Area is a 5 county area in north Ohio, anchored by the city of Cleveland. Dividing the city into an east side and west side, the Cuyahoga River area was once the site of steel mills and other factories which fueled economic growth.

Changing economic times led to a decline in the manufacturing economy. For the past thirty years, the overall population of the Metro Area has been in decline as Non-Hispanic whites left the area to seek new opportunities. However, Cleveland is both the most ethnically diverse region in Ohio and is growing increasingly diverse as Hispanic and Asian populations move into the area. There is an increasing belief that Cleveland can grow by attracting, welcoming, and retaining immigrants from all over the world.

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Total Population: 2,060,810

Census Data

• Foreign Born - 114,501
• Language Spoken at Home - 183,629

[Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Foreign Born and Language Spoken at Home]

Quick Facts

• The largest Metro Area entirely in Ohio.


• Residents of Cleveland are called "Clevelanders".


• Nicknames for the city include "The Forest City", "Metropolis of the Western Reserve", "The Rock and Roll Capital of the World", "C-Town", and the "6th City."


• Cleveland has twenty-four sister cities and one partner city around the world.


• Traditional ethnic neighborhoods include Slavic Village, Shaker Square, Little Italy, and Chinatown.


• Over 40% of the Foreign Born are from European nations.


• Home to the largest Slovak, Slovene, and Hungarian community in the world outside of Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary.


• Slovenia maintains a Consulate-General in Downtown Cleveland.


• At one time, Cleveland had the highest number of Hungarians outside of Budapest.

Learn about the ethnic diversity in the Cleveland Metro Area and how you can be involved to engage people groups.