Garfield is a quiet suburban community just minutes from Cleveland’s top attractions and employers. Garfield Heights has adapted to its ever-changing community and economic conditions to become the residential area it is today. “Over the last ten or so years, a lot has changed in Garfield Heights because we are a suburb of Cleveland,” says Steve Shamblin, Garfield Heights resident and Realtor at Century 21 Arrow Realty. “As Cleveland modernized, people moved to the suburbs. There's more stuff coming in.”
Modest bungalows and Cape Cods
Homes in Garfield Heights are typically modest, two- or three-bedroom houses built between the 1920s and 60s. Bungalows and Cape Cods sit on small lots with grassy green lawns and minimal landscaping. Many older homes have been updated with modern features like air conditioning. A three-bedroom cottage typically costs between $125,000 and $150,000 in Garfield Heights. “At one point, investors bought up a lot of properties, and many homes fell into disrepair. But now property values are going back up, and they’ve really soared in the last couple of years. People are moving here and renovating or fixing up their homes,” Shamblin says. “You still get a good bang for your buck.”
Easy commutes to Downtown Cleveland and surrounding areas
Garfield Heights is close to Interstate 77 and sits alongside Interstate 480. “It’s a good place if you work in Downtown Cleveland. Whether you work east or west, we have two major highways here, so the commute is easy, no matter where you go. We are centrally located,” Shamblin says. Downtown Cleveland is about 10 miles away, and University Circle is less than 8 miles away. Downtown Akron is also about 30 miles away. Locals can also take a bus on the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit System to downtown, University Circle and other locations around the city. Major employers in nearby Cleveland include University Hospitals, Cuyahoga County and Sherwin-Williams company headquarters, and Garfield Heights is also home to Marymount Hospital.
Garfield Park Reservation and more trails under construction
Garfield Heights is home to Garfield Park Reservation, one of the award-winning Cleveland Metroparks. The park includes 6 miles of trails, four of which are suitable for fitness walkers, strollers and bikes. Mill Creek Falls is a scenic highlight of the park. “The Metroparks are really nice here. They’re going to redo them to connect the parks on Garfield Boulevard with bike trails, to make them more connected.” Once the Garfield Boulevard Reconstruction & Trail project is finished, locals will be able to bike safely between Garfield Park Reservation, Towpath Trail and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. For more activities, locals can also visit Dan Kostel Recreation Center, which has an ice-skating rink, pool and community park with a playground.
Giant Eagle Supermarket and restaurants in Garfield Heights
Dining options in Garfield Heights largely consist of chain restaurants like Domino’s Pizza, Chipotle and Subway. There are some local dining options, including the popular Del’s Wings N Things, which serves take-out favorites like chicken wings and loaded fries. “There’s some new stuff that’s coming into Garfield Heights,” Shamblin says. “There was a big shopping center anchored by Walmart that shut down. Some investors in California bought it a couple of years ago, they did some remodeling, and it’s nice now. It’s got a Giant Eagle, Goodwill store and other businesses.”
Community events and attractions in Garfield Heights and Downtown Cleveland nearby
Garfield Heights residents enjoy the community’s Christmas in July celebration at the recreation center. The party has Christmas music, swim races in the community pool, hula hoop and limbo contests, and even a visit from Santa. Locals can also explore the town’s history at the Garfield Heights Historical Society, located on Turney Road in a home dating back to 1889. The community is just minutes from downtown Cleveland and its attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and West Side Market, established in 1840.
Garfield Heights County Schools and an alternative option
Public school students in Garfield Heights attend Garfield Heights City Schools. The town has three elementary schools serving kindergarten through fifth grade: Maple Leaf Elementary, William Foster Elementary and Elmwood Elementary. All three schools earned C-minus grades from Niche. These schools funnel into Garfield Heights Middle School and Garfield Heights High School, which also earned C-minuses. The town also has alternative schooling options, including a C-minus-rated charter school, North Shore High School. North Shore High School has programs and learning spaces that adapt to different learning needs. For example, it has faculty dedicated to creating individualized education programs and offers alternative graduation tracks for students who struggle with standardized tests.
Ongoing Cuyahoga County Jail project
In September 2023, Cuyahoga County Council approved the purchase of a 72-acre parcel of undeveloped land in Garfield Heights to build a new county jail. The $750 million construction project off Transportation Boulevard will take about three years to build. As of early 2024, construction had not yet started.
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